Beauty Is Loud
by Omega Ultra
Summary: From the time they were young, Lana and Lola thought that they were inseparable, but when an accident renders Lola comatose, Lana must learn how to live life without her twin.
1. Princess Follies

**A/N Man, it's been a long time since I got into the driver's seat, huh? I've had this prompt on the back of my mind for months now, and it feels so great to be finally getting around to it! I hope you guys enjoy! I thank Sesquipedalian Numeral and LoudAutomata16 for their help!**

 **I hope you enjoy! R &R!**

Chapter One: Princess Follies

"Get out!" A shrill voice cut through the otherwise peaceful mid-afternoon air of the Loud House, followed by the sounds of short scuffle and a door being forced open. A moment later, a young girl dressed in a rather large pageant gown literally kicked another, dressed in a set of muddy overalls, out of their shared room. "That's what you get!"

"Ugh!" Lana groaned for a moment, before planting her hands on the floor and forcing herself upright, wasting no time to look up at her sister. "I don't get it, Lola! What's wrong?!"

Lola stared at her twin for a moment, fury filling her eyes. "I've had it with you constantly dirtying my stuff is what!" She motioned towards her dress, a majestic, pink gown with light blue highlights filled with bows, ribbons and ornaments of all kinds, not unlike what a true princess would wear on the day of her coronation.

In fact, the only blemish upon the garment was the rather large brown spot centered on its abdomen. "I don't like mud getting on my stuff and until you learn that, you're not welcome in this room!"

"But it's just a dress!" The older twin tried to argue, pulling herself back onto her feet as she did so. "It's no big deal! Just get some Tide and Clorox and it'll be as good as new!"

For a moment, Lola simply stared at her in disbelief, her eyes wide and mouth agape. Though, once it passed, a joking smile overtook her. "…Just a dress? Haha… you think, that this…" she motioned towards herself. "Magnificent work of art, is **just a dress?!** "

A harsh air enveloped the twins with that, seemingly berating Lana for her poor choice of words. _"What the-"_

In an instant, Lola shrieked. "Grahh!" before she bared her sharpened nails and swung.

Lana reacted quickly and pulled away from the attack… only to allow Lola's hand to swipe across her cheek, scratching and causing her to fall back.

After that, the young pageant princess simply looked down upon her twin, anger and disgust filling her gaze, before she spoke with a low voice. "If you think that this is just a dress, then…" her voice gradually grew louder, before she shouted. "…then I don't have a twin anymore!"

And with that, she slammed the door shut, causing a loud *bang* to resonate through the home.

For a moment, Lana simply lied there, her mind racing in confusion. _"But… that's just a dress, right? I give her muddy hugs all the time and she's never kicked me out before!"_ Only for a voice to snap her back to reality.

"Uhh… what was that about?" Lincoln stuck his head through his room's door, before stepping out and offering a hand to his little sister, which she happily grabbed. With that, he pulled her back onto her feet.

"I don't know…" concern filled the younger girl's voice. "I was just… having fun and Lola freaked out!" She crossed her arms and turned to face the door. "I give her gooey hugs all the time!"

For a moment, Lincoln remained silent, trying to understand what had occurred. "Ok… so you gave Lola a muddy hug and then what happened?"

"Usually, Lola laughs it off and changes out of the dirty dress…" the young girl's voice trailed off, before picking back up. "But this time… she just went crazy and kicked me out of our room!"

Lincoln hesitated for a moment, and sighed. "Lana… you know how much Lola hates it when you dirty her clothes, don't you?"

The young girl looked away in thought. "She's never really said much about it though…" before she looked up at her brother. "And why would now be any different?! It doesn't make sense!" Following it up by flaring her arms.

"Lana, sometimes people just put up with something they don't like because they love the person who's doing it, but after a while… it gets to ya, ya know?" He rubbed the back of his head and looked to the side. "And well… people break."

"But… but she…" the young girl tried to argue, only to find herself stammering as the realization dawned on her. "I… broke Lola…"

The boy nodded. "From the sound of it, yes," he placed his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. "Lana, Lola may not say how much she dislikes you dirtying her stuff, but she doesn't like it, ok?"

"Ok…" Lana replied in a low tone.

"Good. Now promise me you're gonna give her some space, ok? I know it's hard to have to share everything, but you two are sisters and you just gotta get along," he stood up straight and rubbed her head. "Now, how about you go downstairs and get a bandage for that cut of yours? I'll go talk to Lola."

With that, Lana gave a small nod, before awkwardly rubbing her arm. "Thanks Lincoln…" and turning to head down the stairs. _"I really messed up, huh? But… it just doesn't make sense!"_ the young girl found herself slowly stepping down the stairs, her gaze fixated on the serene living room, save for Lily, who sat in front of the TV watching Blarney the Dinosaur.

At the moment, most of the family was out doing whatever they could to enjoy the springtime whether before they would return for the night and share the events of the day, leaving nothing but simple silence in their home. _"Maybe… maybe it has something to do with that dress…"_

Suddenly, she found herself turning on the stairway and carefully making her way back up, doing her best not to make a sound. She peered into the upstairs hallway and watched as Lincoln knocked on their shared room door.

"Lola, it's me, Lincoln, can I come in?" the boy spoke with a soft, fatherly tone.

"Go away," Lola responded in a whiny tone. "If this is about Lana, I don't wanna hear it!"

He hesitated his next words, before continuing. "Lola, I just wanna make you feel better."

"Nothing can make me feel better…" her voice trailed off.

"Not even head scratches from your big brother?" Lincoln smiled at the door.

A moment of silence passed after that, before a few soft steps resonated through the hall, followed by the room's lock going *click* and the door opening, revealing Lola, now having changed out of the elegant dress and back into her typical attire, one pink pageant gown.

Lincoln wordlessly entered the room with that. "All right… let's talk Lola," he motioned towards her bed, and she complied. After that, Lincoln looked out the door once more and glanced from side to side, careful to make sure that none of the other present sisters were watching, before closing the door and walking over to Lola's side.

" _Now's my chance,"_ carefully, Lana made her way to the room door and opened it ever so slightly, allowing her to take in the sight of her sister and brother sitting on the princess bed and thankfully, the home's unusual silence made it quite easy to hear what they were saying as well.

"So… what's wrong Lola?" Lincoln placed his hand on the pageant queen's back.

"Don't you know?" Lola looked away. "Lana probably told you everything already."

"I still wanna hear it from the horse's mouth," he continued to rub, doing his best to put his little sister at ease.

The young girl hesitated for a moment, before taking a breath. "Lana ruined my dress!" suddenly, anger began to fill her voice. "Every time it rains she goes to swim in mud and then hugs me! Do you know how many dresses I've had to triple wash because of her?!"

"I'm sure she doesn't mean to," Lincoln tried to cut in, but Lola refused to let him.

"I always try to hint that I don't like it, but she never gets the message!" her voice continued to fill with frustration. "Heck, she knows I don't like mud! She knows how disgusting it feels to me!"

"There, there," Lincoln whispered. "Just stay calm," he placed a hand on her chin and turned her face to his. "Everything's gonna be all right… so what happened today?"

Lola took another breath, before grabbing a small box out of her pile of dirty clothes. "She dirtied this dress…" she pulled it out, allowing the boy to get a better look at the offending stain.

And Lincoln responded by taking it in his hand. "This doesn't look too bad. I'm sure if-"

"But there just isn't enough time!" Lola cut him off, soft tears beginning to form in her eyes. "I wouldn't be so angry with her if the pageant that this is supposed to be for wasn't tomorrow!" she sat back and placed the dress on her lap.

"What pageant's tomorrow?" Lincoln raised an eyebrow. "I thought the season ended this week?"

Lola nodded. "Yeah, this week. Tomorrow's the last and biggest competition! The Nation Ms. Prim and Perfect Pageant! Everyone has a special dress to wear to it so I begged Leni to make one for me! It took her a whole month, but it looked amazing!" her tears begin to fall, causing more stains to fall upon the already damaged garment. "And now… I'll stick out like a sore thumb."

"I guess wearing a different gown is out of the question then…" Lincoln thought for a moment, before continuing. "Lola, I know it's hard, but don't worry. There'll be other pageants!"

She didn't respond, an expression of disappointment already having taken her over.

He turned her to face him. "But, right now you've gotta remember, "Lana's your sister, and nothing's more important than that."

Lola simply pulled away. Choosing not to reply.

" _I… I messed up… I know she doesn't like getting dirty, but I forced her to anyway… what kind of sister am I?"_ Lana mentally kicked herself for a moment, before turning away and sliding her back against the nearby wall. _"I have to make this right! I… I'd never forgive myself if I let Lola go out like that!"_ she took a breath, before hopping to her feet and rushing down that stairs. _"I have to make it up to her. Luckily, I know how to get mud stains out of clothes!"_

 **The Next Morning…**

"Ugh…" Lola blinked awake slowly, taking a moment to stretch and yawn, before looking out her nearby window. _"Today's the day huh?"_ a sense of dread overtook her for a moment. _"I sure hope that the others don't overdo their dresses too much, I'd hate to be out staged…"_ with that thought, she carefully swung her legs over the bed and hopped to her feet. "Lana?"

No response.

Lola's gaze softened into one of disappointment. _"I guess she decided to sleep with Lori last night… I don't blame her."_ a painful pang filled her chest, prompting her to clutch it for a moment. _"No… no…"_ she shook her head, purging the thought from her mind, before taking a deep breath and approaching her door.

*Knock* *Knock*

"What the?" Lola carefully opened up, allowing a small box to come into view. She grabbed the note and read aloud. "Lola… I'm sorry for being a horrible sister and dirtying your dress. I spent all night cleaning it though, and I hope that you can forgive me," she looked down at the box. "-Lana…"

Slowly, she closed the piece of paper and shoved it in her nightgown pocket. _"What could this be?"_ before carefully opening the box, allowing a piece of light-pink fabric to come into view. Lola's heart began to race in excitement as she placed the box on the ground and pulled the contents out, revealing the once-ruined dress restored to its former glory, ironed and cleaned better than when Leni had first given it to her.

Her heart sank. _"I was too hard on her…"_ she took a soft breath and smiled ever so slightly, before grabbing a hanger and carefully sliding the dress into its assigned garment bag. _"Can't have you getting wrinkled, can we?_ "

After that, she found herself stepping out of her own room taking a look in each of her siblings'. Her gaze focused on finding a certain young girl amongst the chaos of their morning. _"Where could she be?"_ She carefully made her way down the stairs, half-expecting her twin to be watching a certain Irish dinosaur, though she only found Lily and Lisa sleeping together on the couch. _"Mom and dad must've turned on the news before leaving… I doubt Lisa and Lily would watch this…"_

" _ **In other news, be careful if you're going outside today! Early morning showers have left quite a mess in Royal Woods today!"**_ Patchy declared, before flaring his arms, trying to emphasize his point.

" _Of course,"_ Lola couldn't help, but chuckle at the thought, before she made her way passed the kitchen and dining table and over to the backyard door. She pulled up one of the nearby stools and hopped on, allowing her to peer through the window and her gaze to fall upon a young girl, simply lying in the grass seemingly taking in the world around her.

For a moment after that, Lola hesitated. _"Maybe Lana just needs some time to think…"_ but shook her head and purged the thought from her mind. After that, she steeled her gaze and pushed the stool away, following that up by opening the door.

Instantly, her nostrils were attacked by the soft scents of spring. She could feel the pollen in the air with the soft smells of blooming golden flowers following close by. As she stepped onto the backyard porch and into the back yard, she could feel the moist blades of grass and the wet dirt beneath her slippers. And as she lied down next to her twin, she could almost taste the sweet honey that would soon be made by the bees buzzing around.

With that, the duo simply sat by in silence, both unsure of just what to say. They could both hear the sounds of birds singing in the trees and their neighbor's children playing their springtime follies.

Though of course, someone has to grab the initiative eventually. And so, Lana broke the silence with a soft. "Lola… I'm sorry…"

To say that Lola wasn't expecting those words would be a lie. And yet, despite having read those words on paper, the pageant queen still found herself asking. "What?"

"I'm sorry for always messing up your stuff!" the young plumber looked away in shame. "I know how much you don't like it when I dirty your stuff… and I know I accidentally do it too much and-"

"Lana… I'm sorry too," Lola cut her twin off.

Lana turned to her twin with confused tears in her eyes. "What do you mean?"

And so, the diva sighed. "I know I can overreact sometimes too…" she turned and looked into her eyes, taking note of the small bandage that rested upon her cheek; the only blemish upon her otherwise identical face. "I'm sorry for hurting you."

Lana smiled, small tears filling her eyes. "Thanks Lola."

"Thanks to you too, Lana." The young pageant queen replied, before the duo turned and looked out into the soft morning. At this point, the world seemed to lie still, just waiting for their little corner of it to pass by. They could feel the soft breeze fall upon them, as if it were a soft melody lulling them to sleep.

That's when an idea popped into Lola's mind. Quickly, she rushed to her feet and rushed into the house.

"Heh, I guess she didn't like laying in the grass that much." Lana quipped, before she propped herself up and turned to face the house.

A moment passed, before Lola returned to the backyard, this time with a strange, red piece of fabric in hand. Without taking a chance to explain herself, she held up one end and wrapped her hand in it. "Lana, I want you to take one end of this and tie it around your hand."

"Uhh… ok?" Lana tilted her head in confusion for a moment, before complying.

Lola sighed as she tied the other end around her hand as well. "I know I said that I didn't have a twin anymore yesterday, but…" she looked away shamefully for a moment, before looking back, into Lana's eyes. "You're the best twin a girl could ever have and I love you no matter what."

Lana smiled at the thought and sighed. "Lola, I know that I may act out and do stuff you don't like, but… I never mean to hurt you. I love you Lola and I just love to show ya!" she looked into her eyes as well. "And I love you too."

"I promise that I'll never stop loving you," Lola declared.

And Lana replied. "And I promise to always love you too," she leaned in closer and clutched the red ribbon. "And I'll always be there for you."

"Same here, because twins never leave each other behind, lets never get old!" Lola then spread her arms out. "Awkward sibling hug?"

Lana simply smiled. "Sincere sibling hug." And with that, the two wrapped their arms around each other, before speaking in unison. "Pat, pat," and looking into each other's eyes.

"Bleh!" Lana wasted no time sticking her tongue out and making a silly face, causing Lola to cover her mouth as she laughed.

"Haha!" she went. "You're the best twin ever!"

"I do my best," the young plumber chuckled. "And you're the best twin ever…"

"I love you too…" Lana whispered. "Heh… now lets get you ready for the pageant…" she finished, before the once simple summer morning began to faded away…

* * *

Slowly, the harsh, factory-like fluorescents of the hospital waiting room replaced the once calm sunrise morning, forcing Lana to raise her hand to cover her eyes. Instead of the soft, moist grass she had been lying in, she now found herself hunched up against an old, plastic chair and torn cushion. _"It… wasn't real?"_

Suddenly, the realization dawned upon her, with the memories of the events leading up to that moment soon rushing to the forefront of her mind. _"That… was… just a dream…"_ her face scrunched up, while tears began to fill her eyes. "L-Lola…"

She curled up into her ball once more, tighter than before. _"This is all my fault…"_

"It'll be all right, Lana," a soft pair of arms soon made their way around the young girl, pulling her into a warm embrace. "It'll be all right…"

Lana broke her defense for a moment to glance at the source, a young woman with soft blonde hair and wearing a light blue tank top, before retreating, choosing to lean into her hug, trying to pull as much heat as she could from her sister.

A moment of silence passed between the two siblings, both of them trying to accept the allure of slumber, though this proved fruitless.

*Sniffle* "Lori?" Lana broke the harsh silence that had overtaken the duo, doing her best to remain close to her sister.

"Yes Lana?" The young woman spoke with a motherly heat.

"Is Lola gonna be ok?" she asked.

" _I don't know…"_ Lori took a soft breath. "Yeah, I'm sure she will be…"

"I hope so…" Lana's voice trailed off.

And all Lori could do in response was pull her in closer and rub the back of her head.

"19-16-15-11-5-14 16-18-15-13-9-19-5-19 12-1-3-5-4 9-14 18-5-4 18-9-2-2-15-14…" ~1-18-9-1 18-15-19-5 "8-15-16-5-19 1-14-4 4-18-5-1-13-19"

 **A/N Man, I'll admit, I considered making a fake summary just so that twist at the end would have more of an "oomph" to it, but I was talked out of it. Oh well, I hope you guys enjoyed! Also, have fun with these cryptograms. I started in the Gravity Falls Fandom six years ago and these were a thing I brought in from my time with them.**

 **For this story, I'll probably update every 2-3 weeks due to just how little time I have now due to class and just hard these chapters are to write.**

 **And as always, feel free to send in ideas and join the TLH Discord!**


	2. And Then There Was One

**A/N Man, I said that I was gonna take two weeks to get this written, but instead I pulled this off in less than a single one. It really does feel strange getting back into the flow of things. But I suppose that's just part and parcel of going on long hiatuses. I thank LoudAutomata16 and JamesSunderlandsPillow for all their help!**

 **I hope you guys enjoy! R &R!**

Chapter Two: And Then There Was One

" _This is all my fault,"_ those words repeated in Lana's mind as her tears stained Lori's light blue shirt. _"If I hadn't… if I had left Lola alone... if I hadn't hugged her…"_ she pushed her head forward, desperate to hide her shame in her sister's chest.

And yet, Lori simply took a deep breath and continued rubbing her head. Lola would call what she was doing 'headscratchies' or something along those lines. "Don't worry, Lana. Lola's is going to be all right…" her voice trailed off in uncertainty.

Despite the reassurance, Lana simply leaned in closer, unwilling to acknowledge her sister.

"Lana…" Lori whispered, shaking Lana slightly. "Lana?"

* * *

"Lana?"

"Huh?" The young girl snapped back to reality as her sister shook her shoulder.

For a moment, Lori held a concerned gaze upon her younger sister, before she averted her gaze to refocus upon the road ahead once the stoplight signaled for them to continue. "You spaced out a bit there," she paused. "Are you thinking of Lola?"

Lana moved to lean against the window, using her elbow to support her head, choosing not to reply to her sister's question.

" _Of course she is,"_ the young woman sighed in defeat, before mentally kicking herself for not figuring it out. "Lana… you know what mom and dad said."

"Yeah…" she whispered. "Lola's going to come back when she's better." Her voice filled with disappointment.

Lori nodded in affirmation. "That means she's going to wake up soon, you've just gotta stay strong for her!" She did her best to feign hopefulness in her voice, though Lana could feel her doubt seeping through.

"But it's been three days since she got knocked out! People wake up sooner than that in cartoons!" The young girl immediately turned to face her sister and flared her arms in emphasis, her voice filling with despair.

All the young woman could do was sigh in response. "Lana… life isn't like those cartoons," Lori struggled to fight the desire to attempt to comfort her sister in order better."

"I know, but…" Lana looked away, taking her chance to gaze out the window once more and allowing her voice to trail off.

" _Maybe it's a good idea to change the subject,"_ the young woman put on a warm smile and placed her free hand on Lana's shoulder. "How'd you enjoy the hardware store?"

"It was all right I guess…" she sighed and looked down, upon the small bag of supplies she had bought, before turning away once more.

Leaving Lori to just shake her head in defeat. _"I hope Lola wakes up soon. I hate seeing Lana like this. It's just… not like her."_ And with that, she pulled Vanzilla into their home's driveway.

"Come on," Lori looked to Lana with a hopeful gaze. "Lola's gonna be fine, don't you worry," she then pulled the keys from the ignition, and turned. "All you've gotta do is stay strong for her and she'll be back before you know it!" With that, she hopped out of the van and stretched her arms out, before motioning for Lana to follow. "Dad should have dinner ready, I'm sure you'll like it."

" _I hope you're right, Lori,"_ Lana gave a small nod, before stepping out as well and following Lori into their home.

* * *

"All right everyone, we're having spaghetti and meatballs tonight!" Lynn Sr. did his best to put on an excited tone as he placed the tray filled with his home-cooked food in the middle of the table, before he took his seat at the head.

" _This was Lola's favorite…"_ Lana slowly took a plateful, before passing it over to Lucy, who in turn passed it over to Lynn, just as they had done for years in order to make sure everyone got a plate before everyone started eating.

A moment of silence passed once the food was distributed evenly, with no one sure just what to do besides eat, though some were considering their appetites given the circumstances.

Suddenly, Lynn Sr. took a breath and began to look around the table, doing his best to ignore the empty seat left next to Lana. "All right everyone, I know that we've had a rough past few days, but that doesn't mean we can't try to make the most of our time together," his voice filled with a desperate hope. "So, what did you all do today?"

No reply, no doubt because no one wished to talk about the elephant in the room.

Realizing this, the man adjusted himself in his seat, before he continued. "I had an interesting day at the restaurant," he paused to collect himself. "We got overwhelmed with orders during the dinner rush and Sergey passed out from exhaustion, meaning that I had to run everything by myself," he pretended to wipe sweat from his brow. "I don't know how I pulled it off, but I did," he then turned to his side. "How about you, honey-"

Only to realize that his wife wasn't paying attention; rather, she was focused on the article she had pulled up on her phone.

"Rita… what're you reading?"

"Huh?" The woman snapped back to reality.

"What's on your phone?" Lynn Sr. tilted his head in curiosity.

The woman replied by refocusing on the device. "Nothing really. I'm just getting up-to-date with the latest neurology news.

For a moment, Lynn Sr. hesitated, considering pushing further into his wife's sudden fixation with neurology, only to take a breath and decide against it. "What about the rest of you?"

Immediately, Lori glanced around the table. Normally, it would be at this point where someone would speak up, trying to one-up the mundane days everyone else would have had. And yet, this time, no one felt like speaking up.

At least, not without some encouragement.

Lori took a breath and dropped her utensils, before speaking up with a nonchalant voice. "Well, I took Lana to the hardware store today."

Her father raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? You didn't spend too much there, did you?"

"Nope," the young woman shook her head, before glancing at the young girl whom had accompanied her. "All we bought were a pair of scissors," she leaned in close to her father and whispered. "She said that they reminded her of Lola, or something…"

Lynn Sr. looked upon his young daughter in concern, before replying. "Watch her carefully, ok? I know she's not the type to do something like… that… but given the circumstances, I think it's better safe than sorry."

Lori nodded. "All right."

"Well, uhh…" Lincoln spoke up, rubbing the back of his head as he did so. "My class got a pet bunny today!"

"Oh?" The man feigned interest. "What'd you name it?"

Lincoln shrugged. "We haven't picked one yet, but we're coming up with ideas…"

It was at this point that Lana stopped paying attention to the conversations starting around her, the young girl deciding instead to focus on the plate of food resting in front of her.

* * *

A moment later, she found herself clutching Lori once again, wiping her tears with her favorite shirt, though she doubted Lori would mind.

"Lana…" Lori held her close and pushed her chin up, allowing her to look into the older girl's eyes. "Why don't you go get some water? You've been here for a while now and I don't want you to get sore."

Lana hesitated for a moment. Would it really be a good idea to leave the safety of Lori's arms just to go for a walk? What if something happened along the way?! Of course, the Louds were no stranger to the ER, but still, there was so much that could happen along the way, and then they would have two children in need of medical care!

And yet, when looking into her older sister's reassuring gaze, the young girl found herself taking a breath and simply nodding along in understanding. "All right Lori… I'll go get some water…" before she broke free of their embrace and turned, making her way into the hallway that led to the emergency room.

The emergency wing of Royal Woods General Hospital was a maze-like set of corridors with beds crammed in wherever there would be enough space to walk in their presence, all connected to a single waiting room. Its walls were painted a sterile white, with some colored tiling along the floor in order to guide those whom would walk through them. The old fluorescent lighting fell harshly upon those who would make the trek, with years of lack-of-maintenance leaving some broken and in need of replacement.

For the next few moments, Lana found herself wandering through the emergency wing, seemingly ignored by the chaotic world that followed life in the hospital. Doctors, nurses and aids simply rushed by looking for their next job, with some even buried in their phones, oblivious to the child in their midst. _"I doubt any of them know about Lola…"_

Soon enough, Lana found herself standing at the end of the first corridor, with arrows and a sign directing towards either of the two branches. _"What did I hear the doctor say? Blue is for low-priority cases, red is for medical emergencies,"_ she gulped, before turning left and making her way down the blue corridor.

For the next few minutes, Lana found herself walking through what amounted to an oversized room with several beds lining the sides, while several computer stations filled the middle of the floor.

Only for her efforts to come fruitless.

Soon enough, she found herself standing in the entrance corridor once more, only this time, slowly stepping in the direction of the red sign. _"Medical emergency…"_ she had to fight the fear building in the pit of her stomach as she made her way down the hall. Unlike the blue section, the red corridor was a single hallway with beds on either side, leading to a round central space connecting other halls to it

" _Lola can't be here, right? I mean, she was knocked out, but it couldn't be that serious, could it? I mean, that happens to Lynn all the time and she comes out fine!"_ Lana had to fight the fear building up inside of her as she made her way down the hall, each bed showing all manners of sick and miserable patients. No doubt they would soon be moved to upstairs care units when more beds opened up.

" _I have to find-"_ Lana began to think, only for a familiar voice to stop her in her tracks.

"Hello doctor."

" _Mom?!"_ Lana stepped over to the source: a nearby bed with the curtains already having been pulled around it in order to separate it from the rest of the emergency room. Slowly, she made her way around and peaked inside from the corner, careful as to not allow the occupants to notice her. And inside, she found the doctor: an old, slightly balding man with tan skin, standing before her parents and sleeping twin.

* * *

"Lana?" Lynn Sr. called out to his daughter, prompting her to snap out of the trance she had fallen into.

"Huh?" She stammered, focusing her attention on the man as she did so. "What?"

"It's your turn to share… if you have anything to," the man continued, a soft, reassuring smile overtaking his face as he did so.

Lana shook her head in reply. "No… I just spent the day with Lori…" she looked away from her father with that, choosing instead to focus on her plate once more. _"I'm not hungry…"_ she looked to her side. "Hey Lola, you want-" only to realize that the chair still stood empty, reminding her that what she had heard and seen wasn't just her imagination.

She paused for a moment after that. _"It's my fault Lola's in the hospital,"_ before she found her gaze wandering while her mind began to hasten in thought. _"When she gets back, I'll have to do everything I can to make it up to her."_

"All right then, so, there I was-" Luan spoke up with a nonchalant tone, though no one seemed to be paying attention to the prank that she had come up with.

"Mom, dad, when's Lola coming back?" Lana's voice filled with a soft, naïve heat, cutting Luan off and breaking through the tense air that had formed around the Louds.

The table fell quiet after that, with the Loud Children immediately turning towards their parents, silently begging for a hopeful response. And Lynn Sr. replied by gulping, no doubt trying to ignore the elephant in the room for as long as possible, while Rita didn't even bother to look up from the article she was reading.

"Well, uhh… you see…" the man began to stammer, carefully nudging his wife to help him as he did so, only to find that she wasn't even paying attention to the situation at hand.

"What our father is currently struggling to say is that we do not know when Lola will cease her cessation of consciousness," a young voice cut the patriarch of Louds off, causing all present at the table to turn towards the source: Lisa, pen and notebook already at her side, prepared to write down everyone's reaction to the news. "Given the extent of the trauma she had endured, it is entirely likely that may never wake up."

"Dude!" Luna shouted, flaring her arms as she did so. "Not cool! We don't know anything about-"

Yet, Lisa simply cut her off by waving her hand. "I feel that this situation can only be improved upon if we peel off the Band-Aid sooner rather than-"

"Shut up!" Lana's voice cut across the room.

"Huh?" Lisa turned to her sister in confusion. "What do you mean 'shut up'? I am merely-"

"Lola is going to be all right! I just know it!" Lana slammed her fists against the table and pointed at Lisa. "Stop lying to everyone about her!"

"Lana, calm down," Lori spoke with a soft, motherly voice as she reached for the young girl, only for her to push her away.

"No! Not until she tells us the truth!" Lana glared at Lisa, before slamming her hands once more, sending a loud *thump* through the room. "When is Lola gonna wake up?!"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know and neither does Lisa," Lynn Sr. spoke up, his gaze falling softly upon his daughter. "But, she's going to wake up Lana, you just have to calm down…"

For a moment, Lana stared into his eyes, seemingly judging him for what he had done, before soft tears began to stream down her cheeks. Then, before anyone could react, she turned and hopped out of her seat, wasting no time running out of the room afterwards.

"Lana!" The Louds shouted in unison.

In the next moment, the young girl found herself turning and bursting out the front door. At this point, the once cloudy sky had fallen dark, with rain now falling down upon the quiet town, leaving a wet mess in its wake.

From the time she could first walk, Lana would go outside to play in the mud when she was upset…

And this time was no different.

It took her a short moment to search for a puddle, but when she found one, she found herself dropping into the liquid, allowing the cool earth to overtake her. _"Just calm down. Lisa didn't know what she was talking about. Lola's gonna be all right. She's just gotta be! She's gonna be home before our birthday!"_

She rolled back in forth, covering herself in dirt, while more tears began to stream down her cheeks. _"She's in the hospital because of me…"_ she stopped on her back and outstretched her arms, allowing her gaze to move up, passed the leaves of the oak tree she had found the puddle under and into the stormy sky above.

* * *

So what's the news, doctor?" Lynn Sr. spoke with a concerned voice as he rubbed Lola's cheek, taking only a short moment to look up at the man.

The doctor paused for a moment, checking his charts once more, before standing up straight with his hands held at rest behind his back. "The emergency surgery we performed was successful according to initial results," he collected himself. "We were able to release the intracranial pressure caused by-"

"So when will my baby wake up?!" Rita cut the man off, despair filling her voice, while she looked into the doctor's eyes, urging him to tell her the truth.

The doctor sighed and shook his head, before returning the favor and looking into Rita's eyes with a begging gaze. "I'm sorry… but the trauma your daughter received was… severe," he stood up straight and pulled his arms in front of him, attempting to seem more professional and open. "An adult would have had a better chance when taking the hit, but a child, like her…" his voice trailed off, before picking up again, this time more controlled than before. "I can't say anything for certain until her test results come back."

" _I can't say anything for certain until her test results come back,"_ those words echoed through Lana's mind, causing her to stumble back. _"We don't know when Lola is going to wake up…"_ in that moment, Lana had no idea of what to do next. And so, all she could do was weep, before running off, back to the waiting room. _"It's all my fault…"_

* * *

" _She's in the hospital because I just had to give her a muddy hug…"_ Lana closed her eyes and sobbed, before curling up in the puddle of liquid dirt.

"Lana!" Lori shouted into the darkness. "Come back inside before you get sick!"

She slowly opened her eyes and pulled herself up, taking a moment to look at her mud-covered body. _"This is what caused Lola's pain…"_ she stood up straight and wiped the tears from her eyes, before she approached her waiting family.

"Lori?" She whispered.

"Yes?" The young woman squatted down to her height. "Don't worry Lana, everything's gonna-"

"I want a bath," Lana cut her off.

Lori was taken aback for a moment, seemingly unable to believe her ears. "W-what?"

The young girl looked into her eldest sister's eyes with a begging gaze. "I want a bath. Please, get this stupid mud off me…"

"Oh… ok," Lori hesitated, before stepping aside and motioning for Lana to follow.

And with that, they stepped passed their siblings and walked upstairs.

9-20-'19 20-9-13-5 6-15-18 12-1-14-1 20-15 20-1-11-5 1 2-1-20-8. 8-15-16-5-6-21-12-12-25 12-15-12-1 23-9-12-12 1-16-16-18-5-3-9-1-20-5 20-8-5 7-5-19-20-21-18-5… 9-6 19-8-5 5-22-5-18 23-1-11-5-19 21-16.

 **A/N Man, writing while having this story planned out is a really strange feeling to me, given how most of my stories are free-written with just a simple goal in mind. But overall, I'm enjoying how this is turning out! How about you guys?**

 **Anyways, classes start this week for me, so the 2-3 week update schedule will probably begin with the next chapter.**

 **As always, feel free to R &R and PM me anything! My inbox is always open to new ideas!**

 **Guest Replies (C1):**

 **Guest 1: I'm assuming you mean the artist, she's a YouTuber who's song inspired one of the most important scenes in this fic.**

 **Guest 1-2: I'm gonna assume you're guest 1, it's all right mate.**

 **Guest 2: Heh cool, which one?**

 **Guest 3: Because I didn't feel like Luna would have the same impact as Lola would. Plus, Luan's older and would have better coping mechanisms than Lana.**

 **praradox me here: Hi mate, thanks for translating!**


	3. Everything Is Nice And Fine

**A/N Hey guys! Man it's been a long while! Yes, I know I said I was gonna post this… like a month ago, but school decided to slap me in the face and force me to focus on it… which I'll be doing for a while. Anyways, enough on that for now. I hope you guys enjoy C3!**

 **Also I thank LoudAutomata16 for helping me!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Three: Everything Is Nice And Fine

"Everything is nice and fine, all the time, the softest clouds and rainbow skies ain't gonna lie…" Lori's voice filled the air with an eerie tranquility as she carefully helped Lana out of her muddy set of overalls and into the bathtub. "We always have the most spectacular time, together… everyone is sittin' pretty, on top of the weather."

The young woman paused when she began to grab for the knob, glancing at her little sister. "You sure you wanna take a bath?"

Lana didn't answer, choosing instead to turn the hot water knob herself, releasing the torrent of water that would wash away the dirt she had held so dear.

And all Lori could do was watch. She sighed and nodded, before grabbing for the soap and Lana's Loofa and placing them on the sink's countertop, readying them for their soon-to-be usage. "Oh Lasso a cloud and make the flowers grow…"

Soon enough, soft steam began to fill the Loud House Bathroom, while the usually chaotic home that stood outside had calmed down, no doubt the surprise of Lana choosing to take a bath played a part.

"All right Lana," Lori dipped her hand in the water, careful to check to make sure it wouldn't harm her little sister. "Is the water all right? I don't want you to be cold or get burned."

Instead of answering, Lana simply submerged her whole body in the liquid, leaving only her eyes and nose just above the water line.

" _I guess that answers that question_ ," Lori let out a breath in defeat, before grabbing some shampoo and beginning to run her hand through Lana's scalp. "Tie them in a bow to throw at the end of the show…"

Lana winced at her older sister's roughness, though she refused to show it. _"Everything that's happened to her… all the anger and pain and dirt that she's had to deal with… it's all my fault,"_ she winced once more, this time flinching as Lori dug her nails in trying to get stubborn pieces of dirt out.

"Sorry Lana," the young woman stopped singing for a moment. "It's just been a long time since you let me clean your hair and I wanna make the most of it," she took another deep breath, before continuing to sing with her soft, calming voice. "Our songs are filled with Love, the sweetest lie. And we can send them down to you with a little shove!"

Luckily, it only takes a few minutes after that to clean her hair thanks to just how short it is, allowing her older sister to pull back and grab for her loofa. "All right Lana, get up a bit so I can clean you up more."

" _It's all I'm good for… making Lola clean up my messes,"_ slowly, she complied, raising herself up from the warm liquid, taking note of the light brown shade it had taken. _"Every time I hugged her… I made her swim in this stuff,"_ she fought the urge to tear up over the realization. _"She probably hated me for it."_

"So hitch a ride into the sky and join our band… Bring harps and lutes, kazoos, trombones and flutes…" Lori slowly continued.

" _Or just your pots and pans…"_ Slowly, Lana found the world around her melting away, leaving her spitting image sitting in the water before her. Without a word, she took in her gorgeous features; attributes so familiar and yet so foreign to her. From her long, golden blonde hair to the cowlick that she never seemed to want to rid herself of, to her beautiful blue eyes that would fill with fire when anger rushed through her body.

She was perfect in every way and she was her twin.

"All right you two, time to get you clean!" Rita leaned over the edge of the tub sponge in hand.

And of course, Lana pulled back. "Ahh! Get it away!" Though she maintained a joking smile, no doubt this was their routine.

"Well in that case, I'll go first!" Lola leaned forward, opening herself up for her mother's soapy assault. And all her mother did in response, was smile and overtake her daughter.

A few moments after that, and Lola sat clean in the tub, with Rita turning to focus her gaze on her other twin. "All right Lana, your turn."

"No!" Lana whined. "I like my mud! Please don't take it away!" She rubbed her cheeks, not noticing how brown the water around her had become. No doubt the result of having spent the entire day wallowing in the dirt with Cliff and Charles.

"Come on Lana," Lola swam over to Lana. "Getting clean is awesome!" she then rubs her cheeks as well. "Plus, it gets rid of that itchy dirty feeling!"

"But it gets rid of my mud! And I don't care about the itchy feeling!" Lana desperately tried to swim away, splashing widely as she did so, causing her dirty water to envelope her twin, leaving her once clean skin stained with muddy water.

"Lana!" Lola jokingly countered, before pulling her arms back, causing her soapy water to queue up in front of her. What ensued was a torrent of splishing and splashing, with Lana's muddy water clashing with Lola's soapy water, allowing a mess to overtake bath time and leaving the twins sitting in a mix of dirt and soap, as well as having their mother soaked by the mixtures.

"Hahaha!" The twins laughed in unison as they finished their playful game, following it up by throwing their arms around each other.

For a moment, Rita looked upon her young twins, before she shook her head and smiled. After that, she wasted no time ringing out her shirt and leaning over the duo and grabbing the soap bottle once more. "All right you two, let's try this again."

With that, the woman cleaned off her twins just as she had done for years.

And Lana closed her eyes and smiled, allowing a familiar voice's singing to fill her ears once more.

"We can write a little jig out on the mighty blue…. We will be here just for you," Lori placed her hand on the young girl's shoulder and shook her slightly, snapping her back to reality. "Through and through and through."

"Huh?" She quickly turned to her older sister in confusion. "W-what's up?"

For a moment, Lori's gaze softened, filling with uncertainty. "I'm done… what were you thinking about? You zoned out for a bit."

Lana paused for a short moment, considering trying to explain to her what she had just seemed. That for a moment, she was back to when they were even younger and it was their mother's duty to wash them and that they had shared their baths.

" _Lori wouldn't understand…"_ she turned away and shook her head. "Nothing."

" _She's lying,"_ The young woman sighed with that, before standing up and helping her little sister out of the tub. "All right Lana, I'll see about-"

"Lori," the young girl cut her off.

Lori turned back and looked into Lana's begging gaze. "Yeah?"

"Lola's gonna be all right… right?"

For a moment, the young woman hesitated, unconsciously looking away as she searched for her answer. And yet, she seemed to come up fruitless. _"I can't lie to her, can I?"_

"Please," the young blonde leaned forward, taking Lori's hand in both of her own.

" _I can't,"_ and so, Lori sighed before taking hold of Lana's shoulder with her free arm and doing her best to maintain eye contact. "Lana, I know that things are… rough," she looked away, collecting her thoughts and turned back. "But don't you worry," she let go of the young girl's hands, and began to run her hand through Lana's short and growing hair, before moving down and pushing her chin up, making sure that she was looking into her eyes.

"Remember this though, until she wakes up, the best thing you can do for her is to live your life an remember her. That way, when she wakes up, you'll be able to help her catch up on what she's missed," And with that, she let go of her little sister and stood up straight, motioning for Lana to proceed as she did so.

And in response, Lana simply looked down in disappointment, before turning and trudging her way out the door. _"She didn't wanna tell me,"_ she grabbed her towel on the way out, haphazardly tying it around herself as she did so. "Lori…"

"Yeah?" The young woman quietly replied.

"Can you get me new bed sheets?" She turned back with a begging gaze. "Lola always told me how much trouble she had trying to sleep because I stink up the room… I wanna make sure she'll be comfortable when she gets back."

With a soft nod, Lori stepped passed the younger girl and into her room in order to retrieve the set, while Lana shuffled to her own in silence.

Once inside, she immediately threw her soiled overalls aside, leaving them in a small pile of dirty laundry that had begun to form ever since the accident. _"Lola always hated how I messed up our room and wore the same thing for days on end…"_ she sighed, before dressing herself in a clean nightshirt, while fighting the urge to put on her trusty boots. _"Those things are old and muddy. Lola hated them…"_ she sighed. _"I wish-"_

*Knock* *Knock*

Lana immediately turned towards the source: her younger sister, standing by with the same, seemingly indifferent expression that she always seemed to have. With a huff, the young blonde turned away. "What do you want?"

Lisa paused and sighed, before approaching her sister. "Older sibling, I have come to apologize for what I said during supper."

"What?" Lana replied, though not bothering to look at the young scientist. Rather, she continued to prep herself for bed, taking off her bed sheets in order to replace them with the ones Lori would soon deliver. "English, Lisa."

In response, she adjusted her glasses and shook her head. "I came to say I'm sorry."

The older girl glanced at her younger sibling, obviously unconvinced by the sudden apology.

And yet, Lisa's voice softened, followed by her beginning to draw a circle with her foot while she held her arms behind her back, seemingly trying to endear herself to her sister. "It is just… I do not wish for you to have false hope given the circumstances… I don't want you to think that a miracle will occur where there just isn't one to be had. Lola-"

Lana glared at Lisa, instantly forcing Lisa to flinch, before she chose her next words. The young scientist gulped. "Well… she is currently in what could be best described as a very deep sleep."

"And?" a hint of anger filled Lana's voice, followed by her glaring at her younger sibling. "Did you come in here to tell me she's never gonna wake up or something?!"

"Well…" the scientist took another deep breath. "From my study, I found that her regaining consciousness in the foreseeable future to be unlikely. However…" her voice trailed off.

"And?" Slowly, Lana turned to look at the younger girl. Lisa looking up to her with a begging gaze, uncharacteristic of her typically stoic mannerisms, though this didn't seem to faze Lana in the slightest.

Yet, there she stood, her voice filling with a sympathetic heat while she pulled on her sweater. "… As unlikely as it may seem, I do believe that actions you undertake while she is in her current state may contribute to her current condition."

And for once, Lana didn't need Lisa to translate for her.

A soft ray of hope filled Lana's aching chest, as she wrapped her arms around her sister. "Thanks Lisa… but I don't think that I'll need to worry about that. She's gonna wake up before our birthday, I'm sure of it! She's never missed one!"

With that, Lisa sighed, before breaking the embrace turning and making her way out of the twins' room. "Very well then. Good night, Lana. If you wish to inquire further into the status of your monozygotic twin, please feel free to ask. And once again, I apologize for what I said during dinner."

And with that, she left Lana alone in her room.

For a moment, the young girl hesitated. _"Actions you undertake while she is in her current state may contribute to her current condition…"_ She shook her head. "Nah, Lisa's crazy! Lola's fine, really," she put on a pain-filled smile, before turning towards to her roommate's side, taking in the numerous self-portraits lining the walls. _"Don't worry, Lola. When you wake up it'll be like you were never gone!"_ Slowly, her gaze fell upon a certain small table with stuffed animals gathered around, waiting for someone to take and lead them along in a small party. _"But in the meantime…"_

The young girl slowly found herself stepping over to the set, though despite the lack of training and proper interest in the subject, she still found herself sitting before the numerous stuffed animals. _"How did Lola do it?"_

For a moment, Lana looked around the table and grabbed the teapot that was sitting on the table, before pretending to pour out multiple cuts. "Don't you all worry. Lola's gonna be back before you know it. Lisa doesn't know what she's talking about. " _Given the extent of the trauma she had endured, it is entirely likely that may never wake up,"_ the thought crossed her mind. _"And even if she did, she would most likely suffer from some sort of mental deficiency."_

All Lana could do at that thought, was shed a tear, before pretending to pour tea into the cups and pass them to the waiting animals.

* * *

Slowly, Lori stepped into the room and deposited the blankets, before turning to face her sister. Thankfully not interrupting Lana, though she did take the chance to observe the scene.

At first, she couldn't help, but double take. After all, the only person she had ever seen sit at that table willingly, was the sister currently resting in the hospital! And yet, there Lana was, playing with the stuffed animals while pretending to pass tea along to each of them. _"If this were under any other circumstances…"_ she let her thought trail off, before shaking her head and making her way out of the room, careful to not alert the child to her presence

*Sigh* The young woman slowly closed the door behind her, taking care to not make a sound, before making her way to her room, where all of the Loud siblings were waiting.

"So *yawn* what's goin' on, Lori?" Lincoln tiredly greeted. "We're not supposed to have a sibling meeting for a few more days."

The young woman let out a soft breath. "Guys, I wanna talk about Lana," her voice filled with a hint of defeat.

"Really?!" Leni cheerfully cut in, lifting up a small garment with that. "So like, I was making this shirt for Lola and I was wondering if she could fit it for me!"

Lori paused for a moment, before shaking her head. "I don't think that'd be a good idea right now. Lana's not lookin' like she's holding up well right now."

"Oh?" Luna looked up from the sheet music she was working on. "What's going on with her… besides… you-know-who."

"She's all right from what I can tell, but…" her voice trailed off.

"But you don't know how long that'll last?" Lucy appeared at her side, though the young woman didn't flinch.

"Yeah…" she looked around the room for a moment, checking the presence of each of her siblings. "Uhh… where's Lynn?"

Lincoln shrugged. "Don't know, though she did mention something about blowing off steam or something," the boy turned and looked up, imagining Lynn running out in the rain at this hour, most likely practicing soccer or something while the mud would be able to soften her falls. _"Man… I don't know what's gotten into her… it's not like her to be so… uninvolved! When Lana's sad she's always by her side!"_

"I see," she nodded. _"Lynn's probably thinking in her room… she used to do that when we were younger…"_ before turning to face a certain scientist. "So, Lisa… got any updates on Lola's condition?"

Lisa shook her head in defeat. "Negative, though I must mention that from what I can tell, Lola has made some progress, albeit very slowly."

"Does that mean she's going to wake up soon?!" Leni cheerfully asked, leaning close to Lisa as she did so.

Yet, all she could do in reply is shake her head. "Negative. It is entirely likely that her progress will stall… only time will tell."

Lori paused, before asking. "How likely is it that she's going wake before their birthday party next week? Lana's already refused to visit Lola ever since we left the hospital. And I think it's starting to get to her."

"Highly unlikely…" Lisa's voice trailed off, before she sighed. "From what I was able to see of the doctors notes, she suffered a severe case of blunt-force trauma when that fixture fell on top of her."

And all Lori could do in reply, was sigh in defeat once more. _"I hope you're wrong, Lisa… for both their sakes."_

5-22-5-18-25-20-8-9-14-7 23-9-12-12 2-5 14-9-3-5 1-14-4 6-9-14-5, 21-14-20-9-12 20-8-5 15-12-4 14-15-18-20-8 23-9-14-4 19-20-1-18-20-19 20-15 8-15-23-12. 8-5-'12-12 16-21-6-6 21-16 1-14-4 6-21-18-12 8-9-19 2-18-15-23. 14-15-23, 14-15-23, 12-1-14-1 8-1-4 2-5-20-20-5-18 20-1-11-5 3-15-22-5-18, 12-15-3-11 21-16 8-5-18 4-15-15-18-19 1-14-4 3-12-15-19-5 20-8-5 19-8-21-4-4-5-18-19!

 **A/N And there we go! C3 has now joined the history books! I hope it was worth the wait!**

 **Anyways, onto more pressing matters. Due to school deciding to roadblock me, I won't be able to update as frequently as I used to. So for now, updates will take place on Sundays, though I can't give an ETA between chapters.  
**

 **Good news though, I've fully planned out this story in the time I was gone, so it'll be more smooth sailing for the time being.**

 **Until next time! See ya!**

 **Songs used:**

" **Everything Is Nice And Fine" ~ The Blasting Company**


	4. Party Of One

**A/N Hey guys! It's been a few more weeks and the next chapter is finally done! I hope you guys enjoy! Here's a warning for you guys, this is quite the chapter if I do say so myself. Be prepared for the waterworks!**

 **Now time for me to get back to school work, I have 2 tests this week, and on the same day too!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Four: Party Of One

"Ahh, the wide open air! It's beautiful, isn't it?" Lola stretched her arms out at her sides, while tilting her head towns the sky and smiling. "I'm so happy to be on summer vacation!"

Lana chuckled at her twin's random performance, before she leaned back on her arms and looked up into the wild blue yonder. "I guess it's pretty cool. I miss my friends though, their families went off somewhere for the summer!"

"Hey, at least you've got your best friend here, right?" Lola turned and gave the older girl a warm smile.

And though Lana would detest the act, she gave a cute smile with a blush and closed eyes, before she nodded, and looked into Lola's eyes. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Good," the younger twin nodded, before she turned away and sat down at her sister's side, following it up by looking out, over the horizon where the sky and sea met. There were only a few clouds at this point, allowing the twins to bask in the glow of the morning sun. Their siblings played lower on the hill, making the noise that followed their name, though it didn't seem to bother them.

"You know…" Lola continued. "One day, I'm gonna make my own castle here. That way, I can always have this view, all to myself."

Lana couldn't help, but snicker at the though. "Heh, yeah. You go do that sis," she did her best to keep a straight face. "And while you're at it, why don't you get a prince charming to live with ya?!"

"Nah," Lola playfully punched Lana's arm. "I've got you after all! Who needs a prince charming when I've got a sister like you?!"

"Well in that case, I'll come with ya," she waved her finger at her. "But only if you let me run a petting zoo out of it! Or maybe just let me store my sewer cleanup gear in it! I don't wanna be cooped up in a castle after all!"

Lola jokingly winced at the idea, pushing away her sister and closing her eyes with a smile. "Eww! Lana! That's gross!"

"What're you talkin' about?!" Lana sat up and pushed back with a smile as well, before waving her finger at Lola. "Don't knock it till you try it!"

"Fine," the younger girl rubbed her chin, before snapping her fingers and poking her older sister. "But only if you promise to keep your stuff on your side of the castle!"

Lana's eyes filled we joy, before she pumped her fist and leaned back once more, resting her head upon her folded arms.

In the next moment, a soft silence overtook the twins, with the duo simply lounging about, taking in the warm heat of the summer day. Lola gazed upon the seemingly endless and always changing waves while Lana let her imagination wander to the giant clouds of gas above, letting their shapes morph into all kinds of fantastical creatures. To them, the world seemed to stand at rest, watching over the young children, ready to listen for their deepest desires.

"Lola…" Lana broke through the calm air, turning to face her twin as she did so.

"Yeah?" Lola turned and leaned closer in curiosity.

"Do you think we'll always be together?" A wavering weakness began to fill her tone.

And yet, without hesitation, the young princess fell back in laughter, holding herself as she did so. "Haha! Of course we will! What kinda question is that?!"

Lana's once worried gaze softened up, before she looked back her twin. "Heh, it's just…" she found her voice softening once more, with her gaze averting from her sister. "I'm just… I'm worried that we're gonna leave each other one day, ya know?"

Lola stopped her laughter and leaned in close to her sister.

"One day, you're gonna be Miss Universe or something while I'm gonna go off to work with Bobby Fletcher," the older girl's voice trailed off in uncertainty. "What if… what if…"

Suddenly, Lola threw her arms around her twin and pulled her into a soft embrace. She whispered softly into the older twin's ear, doing her best to comfort her. "Lana, no matter what happens, we'll never leave each other behind," she smiled and looked into Lana's eyes. "After all, we've got the whole world at our feet."

"And as we watch the season's change, all roads will be lined with adventure…" almost unconsciously, the older sister replied, as if the memories of a promise so distant and yet so close chose to return at the moment.

"There'll be mountains in the way, but they won't keep us from the sea," the younger sister couldn't help, but chuckle and glance at the ocean behind her.

And Lana pulled her tighter in reply, taking the chance to glance at her hand, imagining the red, silk-fabric they had tight around it to seal their vows. "Because we made a promise to always be together. Our hopes and dreams were laced in red ribbon…"

"Yeah, and we're gonna stand strong, together, in the world that we'll make!" Lola's voice filled with a soft warmth, before she pulled her twin in as closely as she could, and whispered. "Because no matter where we end up, even if we're a thousand miles apart, I'll always remember you. Because I can hear your voice in the breeze, see your shadows in the trees…" she pulled back and looked into her eyes. "And because the memories we hold onto never change."

And Lana smiled, soft tears filling her eyes, before the twins held each other as tighter than they ever had before

* * *

*Beep!* *Beep!* *Beep!* *Beep!*

The alarm cut through the morning air of the young twin's room, prompting her to slam her hand on the device, silencing it for yet another day. _"Ugh… morning already?"_

She grimaced at the timepiece, before slowly turning away in her bed. _"Stupid clock, I was dreaming of… her,"_ she tiredly sat up in her bed, before taking a breath in defeat. _"Another morning, another day with Lola,"_ she took a breath, before glancing at the device that had awoken her. " _Now that I think of it… Lincoln usually wakes me up. I don't even own an alarm clock."_

Slowly, she grabbed the device. And as Lana read its glowing green text, eyes grew wide while her heart began to race. _"Eight-thirty AM… October tenth."_ Carefully, she placed the clock on her nightstand, before calmly swinging her legs over the side of her bed. She softly pushed herself to the floor and held herself standing.

Her heart continued to race faster than it ever had before, with the silence of the early morning room filling her ears, urging her to begin.

In the next moment, a whirlwind of activity overtook the young girl's room, with Lana first turning and bolting to the end of her bed, grabbing the sheets and pulling them over her pillow, before folding the top back, making her bed in one swift motion. Next, doubled back and rushed over to her closet, taking the chance to grab a set of new clothes- a teal shirt and set of small blue jeans. _"Lola always wanted me to try something other than my overalls, but I always told her how dirty plumbing could get. Today, I'll wear these just for her!"_ Before grabbing the pet food she always kept on hand and setting up the feed for the family pets.

With those tests done, she set her sights towards the table upon which a small pink box laced in red ribbon stood. Slowly, she took the object and her hands and held it close. _"This is for you, Lola. It took Leni and I a week to make this, but when I see your face again, I know it'll all be worth it."_

She fought the urge to tear up, failing for just an instant, allowing a single tear to stream down her cheek. _"I'm gonna see you soon, Lola. I know you're gonna love this!"_ before she turned and wiped the liquid from her cheek. And with that, she made her way out of the room.

* * *

"Surprise!" The Loud Family's voices filled the once quiet morning, following it up by sending streamers of all shapes and sizes soaring through the air. "Happy birthday!"

A cheerful glow filled Lana's face, with a smile appearing soon after. "Haha! Thanks guys! I'm so excited! What're we doing today!"

"Well, according to the schedule our mother and father so graciously prepared, we have a full day ahead of us," Lisa adjusted her glasses and focused upon the small notepad in her hands. "First we will indulge ourselves on our father's special birthday Lynn-breakfast, before going out for some activities."

Lana smiled at the thought, of all of the fun things her family had laid out for her.

But before they would whisk her off on whatever adventure her birthday had planned, there was one thing she had to do. She clutched the box and looked up to them with a thankful smile. "Awesome… but before we go do that stuff…" she gulped. "I wanna give Lola her present."

Suddenly, the once joy-filled air of the living room fell silent, with the residents slowly turning towards each other for the answers that they knew none of them had.

Slowly, the young girl leaded to her side, doing her best to peer behind the group of her family moments. "Where is she?"

Lori took a breath in response, before stepping forward and taking a knee in front of her. She took Lana's shoulders in her hands and forced herself to look into the younger girl's eyes. "Lana… I'm sorry, but… Lola didn't wake up."

In that moment, the once brilliant light that had filled her younger sister's eyes dimmed, while her bright smile faded into a disappointed frown. "Oh…"

"But hey," Lori did her best to put on a reassuring tone. "That's not to say Lola's not gonna wake up later, right?" she took Lana's chin in her hand and pushed it up slightly. "Why don't you enjoy your birthday and tell her about it when she comes home?

The younger girl chose not to reply, instead looking down at the box and clutching its neatly wrapped corners.

"Come on! We've got some party games?" Lincoln forced a smile as well, before pulling out a game of twister and break dancing on it.

"Or how about Secret Stalin?" Lucy held a small orange box decorated in spy equipment. "It's one of your favorites, isn't it?"

" _With Lola…"_ the thought crossed Lana's mind, prompting her to look away. "I… I'd rather not

Lucy pulled the box behind her box. "Sigh… I suppose this was a bad choice…"

"Hey, how about we go eat some of my special birthday breakfast?" Lynn Sr. spoke up, throwing his arms around his children, pulling them closer to him.

Though Lana didn't bother to look at him. "Yeah… I guess that works…" And with that, she broke her father's embrace and stepped into the kitchen.

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

"Presenting, Lynn Cakes!" Lynn Sr. declared as he placed a plate stacked high with pancakes. He carefully glazed the top with maple and strawberry syrup, the twins' favorites, before making a single cut into it, as if it were a cake. "Eat up!"

And yet, Lana found herself simply looking upon the sight. Although it should've been a sugar-craving six-turning-on-seven-year-old's dream, she didn't seem to react to it. Rather, she turned away, deciding instead to focus on the box she now held in her lap.

"Come on, try some," Luan leaned over and rubbed Lana's back, trying to urge her to go eat. "It'll make everything all **batter.** "

Yet, rather than groan at the pun, the younger girl seemed to just sink into her seat, staring moving her gaze to stare up at the brown liquid as it made its way down the sides of the fluffy tower. _"She loved dad's pancakes… she would always beg for dad's special syrup too…"_

"Lana…" Lincoln leaned over to his little sister. "Come on, at least try some… then after we eat, we can try some games out, how does that sound?"

She glanced up, her slowly watering eyes filling his view.

"Lola would want you to enjoy your birthday," he spoke with a soft, reassuring voice. "Why don't you try to do it, for her."

Lana replied by looking down at the box and taking a breath. _"But… Lola would also want me to be there for her. That way, we would be able to enjoy it together!"_ she paused, her thoughts jumping from idea to idea, though seemingly eluding her as to the answer.

And yet, a moment later, she found herself slowly taking bites out of the pancakes meant for her and her twin.

 _ **A Few Minutes After That…**_

"All right! First one to the end of the line wins!" Lori declared, before blowing her whistle, sending an ear-piercing screech through the yard.

In an instant, the louds began doing their best to run towards the finish line, trampling over whatever weeds and flowers stood on their way on the finish line in their potato sack race.

A short moment later, and Lynn was hopping at the finish line, cheering for another victory well-earned. "Yeah! I'm the best! Lynner, Lynner, chicken dinner! Whoo!" Before looking back at the starting line, only to find Lana still holding the box and standing in her sack.

"I guess Lana's just… not in the mood to run and stuff…" Lynn looked down and sighed.

* * *

"Three, two, one, ready or not, here I come!" Lincoln shouted, before turning towards the seemingly empty yard. He rubbed his chin for a moment, taking a moment to glance around. "Hmm, now where could they be?" he raised his hand over his eyes, seemingly trying to block the piercing rays of the sun.

The boy's eyes fell on a mud puddle, its soft, wet dirt no doubt the perfect hiding place for a certain plumber. He snapped his fingers, before slowly making his way towards the substance, before taking a knee in front of it. "Oh Lana…" he raised his hands, before pouncing at a random shape in the mud, only to find himself wrestling with a tree branch.

"What the?!" Lincoln forced himself upright in confusion. "Lana?"

"I'm over here," the young girl replied, no doubt not even paying attention to the game that the Louds were attempting to play. Rather, she simply sat back, allowing her mind to flood with the memories of a promise and the box that she had worked so hard to prepare.

"Dangit," Lincoln sighed in defeat.

* * *

"So you're the Secret Stalin?!" Lynn Sr. slapped his hands against his head in surprise. "I couldn't believe it!"

"I'm sorry dad, but I'm not!" Lori replied by pulling out her party membership card, showing a man dressed in a trench coat with the word "communist" under it.

"That just leaves two communists left!" Lincoln declared cheerfully. "Now who…"

"I say it's Lana!" Lynn pointed at her younger sister, who still didn't seem to realize what was going on around her.

And seemingly in response, Lana just took a breath and handed over her membership card. _"Lola loved this game… she always somehow found out who Stalin was in the first few minutes."_

"Oh…" Lynn slowly opened up the envelope, only to find that that was in deed the case. "Well ok then… Stalin."

The Louds simply looked at each other once more, before giving a collective sigh.

"I guess party games weren't such a good idea after all…" Lori shook her head in disappointment. _"Then again, ever since the accident, I don't think any of us have really been doing well..."_

 _ **Later…**_

After a few more attempts at party games, the Louds found themselves driving into the parking lot of the restaurant they had worked so hard to build up. From what Lana could see, Lynn Sr. had left the place closed for the day, rather than ask Mr. Grouse to run things in his absence.

"All right kids," Rita turned to look at her children, taking a moment to break from the neurology book she seemed to have married herself to. "Let's head inside for dinner!"

And with that, the Loud kids filed out of the van, for the most part, with just the whispers and stepford smiles of a birthday for one but not another.

* * *

A moment later, Lynn Sr. unlocked the door to the restaurant and turned on the lights. Now, whenever one of the Louds' birthdays came up, every single Loud would pitch in to get the birthday child or parent whatever they wanted, and this year was no different.

Instantly, the soft lights illuminated a pile of gifts stacked up like a pyramid on the central table. Some were labeled "for Lola" while the vast majority were prepared for Lana.

"Surprise!" Lynn Sr. flared out his arms, before motioning towards the table.

"Happy birthday sis! It's not my birthday, it's your birthday!" Luan came up opposite him and motioned as well.

"We weren't sure what to get you, so we just got you a lot of stuff we'd think you'd want!" Lynn immediately jumped and swam through the pile of presents, before jumping out and landing in the chair right of the center, where Lana was suppose to sit.

Lincoln then came up on her side and took a breath, before rubbing the back of his head. "Lana… I know things have been tough, but hey, how about you open your presents? Maybe you'll find something you'd like!"

Yet, despite what would seem to be a six-turning-on-seven-year-old's dream, Lana's pained expression didn't change. Rather, she clutched the present she had held onto the whole day and looked away.

Softly, Lori came to her side and took her up in her arms. Wordlessly, she carried her little sister to the table and placed her in her seat, all the while, Lana remained focused on the gift, laced in red ribbon. She then took a deep breath and grabbed the first gift. "Lana?"

No response.

Lori looked to her family for guidance, though only found the passing glances of uncertainty that had plagued their day. They had done their best trying to plan for whatever happened that day, though they had never accounted for just how badly it would turn out.

And so, the young woman took a breath, before grabbing hold of her first gift and shaking it, allowing a few rumbles to echo out. "Lana, wanna open your present?"

She didn't react.

"Come on Lana," Lori placed her hand on her shoulder once more and turned her to face her. "Lola would-"

"Lola would nothing!" Lana lashed out, raising her voice in response. "Lola would want me to wait for her! She'd want us to open our gifts together!"

"Please Lana…" Lori pulled back a bit in surprise, before leaning in once more. _"She probably would…"_

Lana looked back down at the gift. "I wanna wait for her to come. She's gonna wake up soon, I just know it!"

Silence overtook the family with that, with none sure how to respond.

Soft tears began to make their way down Lana's cheeks, while her ever-tightening grip on the box dared to rip the tenderly folded and tied wrapping paper. "I can feel her still. She's gonna wake up soon! She's asking me to wait for her! We made a promise that we'd always be together! We tied with her ribbon too!"

Lisa stepped forward, only for Lucy to raise her arm and hold her back, giving the younger girl a small headshake in reply.

Lana's soft whimpers began to fill the air after that, with her pulling the gift in closer. "She promised to be her… she promised she'd be all right…"

" _No child should have to lose their sibling…_ " Lori quietly reached for her younger sister once more. After everything that had transpired that day, she knew that there was little comfort she could give. She knew that there was little she could do to help, and yet, she still wanted to hold her sister; to comfort and to care for her, to give her hope that her reality was lying to her.

Yet, she knew that this was the truth and that no matter how much they tried to ignore it, it stood before them, gnawing away at their very beings.

And all she could do in response was listen to the soft, painful whimpers of a child.

"I wanna see her."

Lori looked to her sister. "What?"

Lana turned and gazed into Lori's eyes. "I wanna see Lola."

Slowly, the young woman turned to her father and he gave a small nod, before pulling out his car keys for her to take.

And so, she turned back and gave a nod as well. "A-all right. Are you sure?"

"Yes!" Lana immediately shouted, before retreating to the invisible box she seemed to have limited herself to. "I wanna see her again."

"O-ok," Lori took a deep breath and scooped her up in her arms once more, before stepping passed her quiet family and out into the afternoon day.

* * *

In the next moment, the duo were making their way down the old roads of Royal Woods. In the distance, they could see their destination, a wide, white building with the word "Hospital" glued to the side. They could feel the soft late-summer sun's rays fall upon them, while the soft hum of vanzilla filled their ears.

It was almost as if the world was doing its best to contrast against the solemn reason they were driving.

A few minutes later, the duo pulled up to their destination, the main public hospital of their small town, Royal Woods General Hospital.

Royal Woods General was by far, the lowest rated hospital in the entirety of the state of Michigan. And from the moment Lana walked up to the front entrance, she could tell why.

Unlike most hospitals, which have a more open environment surrounding them in order to feel more welcoming, an iron post fence covered the main perimeter of the hospital; which was open in a few spots for entrances.

Above the automated sliding doors was a large, steel scaffold used to keep the entrance dry in case of rain. From there, the hospital opened up into a long, yet wide hallway with the financial office on the right and numerous seats set up for patients and visitors to use.

"Don't let go, it's easy to get lost around here," Lori spoke softly, before she took hold of Lana's hand, though from just how tightly she was holding on, it was more likely used to stop her from running away.

At the end of the hall was a small reception desk, with a young, dark-skinned woman sitting behind the counter. "Hi, where are you going and may I see your ID?"

"We're here to visit Lola Loud," the young woman replied, using her free hand to hand over her driver's license.

The woman tapped at the screen for a moment, before nodding, taking a photo of the young woman and handing over a small visitor's pass and her ID. "All right Ms. Loud, you're gonna go up to the pediatric ward on the second floor, she's in room A113," she then pointed at the elevators. "Ask a nurse to point you in the right direction."

"Thank you," And with that, Lori and Lana made their way upstairs.

Like the rest of the hospital, RWG's pediatric ward was painted a cold, sterile white, albeit decorated with seemingly random, child-like drawings, most likely to take some stress off the unfortunate tenants of the unit.

It takes a moment, but eventually they come across room A113.

Like the others on its floor, Lola's room is small, just large enough for her bed, a small nightstand, two chairs and the equipment necessary to monitor Lola's seemingly non-improving condition. Its walls were decorated with trains and letters of the alphabet, no doubt to inspire a child-like wonder in the minds of the occupants.

"Hi Lola…" Lana slowly approached the bed containing her twin. Lola looked pale at this point, with a pained frown held on her face. At this point, the doctors had placed a tube in her abdomen to feed her, while using a set of wires leading into her nose to help her breathe, along with the wire in her arm that gave her medicine. "How are you feeling?"

The young girl paused for a moment after that, seemingly hoping to receive a response from her twin, but to no avail. And so, with a sigh, she shook her head and smiled once more, holding up the present as she did so. , "It's our birthday… do you wanna… ya know, open the present I got for you? Leni and I worked really hard to make this for ya!"

Another moment passed. "Maybe... maybe I have to bring up to ya. Since it's probably hard to move with all the stuff they've done to ya!" before carefully, Lana turned and pulled one of the chairs over to the bedside, before climbing up, displaying the box for her sister.

Nearby, Lori stood silent, unsure if she should even attempt to intervene, only to hold herself steady and stand back. _"No Lori, she needs this."_

"Come on, I worked really hard on it…" the young girl paused, before grabbing the ribbon and slowly pulling it apart. "Ya know what? Dow about I open it for ya and you can wake up and try it on?" With that, she pulled off the cord and opened the lid, revealing a small, pink dress decorated with blue highlights and frills of all sizes. Though, it looked like a mess of fabrics masquerading as a dress, to Lana it was the culmination of her hard work put together into a creation of thread that she dreamed her sister would one day wear.

"Check this out!" Lana grabbed hold of the dress' unique feature, a small zipper on the side, before pulling, allowing half the dress to open up like a jacket. "You can open this up so that you won't have to mess with… the needle to put this dress on…" she looked down upon the garment. "You know… because you love dresses… and you wouldn't be caught dead without one… right?"

Slowly, Lana pulled it in close while the hope began to dim from her eyes. "Why… why don't you grab this and try it on? I-I mean, I know how much you hated people helping you dress yourself!"

Still no answer.

She then placed the dress in her sister's motionless hand. "H-how about I help you?" Lana clutched it around her hand. _"Please wake up…"_

And yet, another moment passed with no response.

Soon enough, soft tears began to make their way down Lana's cheeks once more, while desperation filled her voice. "Come on Lola, wake up!" she leaned closer and clutched her hand tighter. "Please, I'm begging you! I can't live like this anymore, I need you! I can't keep trying to pretend everything is fine when it's not!"

" _She needs us…"_ Lori slowly stepped over and carefully wrapped her arms around the young girl, pulling her into a soft embrace.

And in response, Lana turned and buried her tear-filled face into her older sister's chest.

"*Sniffle* Lola's not gonna wake up, is she?" The younger girl could barely whisper through her tears.

And all Lori could do, was rub her head and pull her in tighter.

9 4-15-21-2-20 20-8-1-20 12-1-14-1 23-9-12-12 6-9-14-4 19-15-12-1-3-5 1-14-25-20-9-13-5 19-15-15-14… 5-19-16-5-3-9-1-12-12-25 7-9-22-5-14 20-8-5 6-1-3-20 20-8-1-20 12-15-12-1 9-19 9-14 15-14-5 15-6 20-8-5 12-15-23-5-19-20 18-1-20-5-4 8-15-19-16-9-20-1-12-19 9-14 20-8-5 19-20-1-20-5

 **A/N And here we go! The beginning's finally done, now the story can finally get a move on! See you in a few weeks! I hope you guys enjoyed! Until next time!**

 **Review Replies (C3):**

 **Loud Hater: Please, elaborate, because I can't fix an issue if you're vague about what it is. If not, then I'll just assume, as per your name, that you're just hating for no reason.**


	5. Summer Showers In October

**A/N Hey guys, I'm back from my college classes to bring you the next chapter of Beauty is Loud! I hope you guys enjoy! Also, 50 reviews, 23 faves and 27 follows?! That's awesome! Here's to more to come! I thank LoudAutomata16 for his help! He's been great helping me get back into the writing game!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Five: Summer Showers In October

"Hi Vasquez, I'm here for my shift."

"Ahh Maria, you're floating here today?" The clerk, a small woman with fair skin, greeted, before turning and continuing her computer work.

In response, the woman nodded. "Yeah. Surprise, surprise, but RWG still doesn't know how to manage us nurses properly," she couldn't help, but chuckle as she stepped passed the clerk and into the nursing station, before logging onto one of the portable computers that would help her do her job. "Anything change since the last time I came by?"

The clerk remained focused on her own computer, but shook her head. "Not really… it's the usual suspects and the like. Some broken bones, an anti-vaxxer kid with tetanus and a coma patient."

Maria turned back to the clerk in confusion. "A comatose child?"

"Yeah… she's been out for a whole month now," The clerk turned in her chair. "Heads up while you're doing rounds, I saw two of her sisters head inside. They might still be there in case you wanna check up on her."

" _I haven't floated to this unit in over a month, and already it seems like more serious cases are just coming in,"_ she took breath, silently jealous of those nurses who were permanently assigned to their units, before grabbing the portable computer and medicine cart, and pulling it along. "Thanks Vasquez _."_

And with that, she stepped into the hospital hallway to begin her work.

For the passed fifteen years, Maria Santiago had found herself working at Royal Woods General as a floating nurse- those unlucky few who rather than have the luxury of getting accustomed to a specific unit, would rotate to whatever unit was short-staffed for the day. Of course, the job had its perks, as a floating nurse she was always in for a surprise when she visited new units.

And today was no exception.

Now, she was no stranger to the graveyard shift. In fact, when her relationship with Dr. Santiago turned sour, she started to take them in order to afford the mortgage on her house. She was always thankful that the nighttime was usually quieter than the day, leading to her shift mostly consisting of checking on the patients, making sure none of them ran away or making sure they ate their dinner before going to sleep.

But, sometimes there would be family members staying the night. Of course, she could never blame them for doing so. If her Ronalda or Roberto ended up in one of the beds she had to inspect, she'd refuse to leave as well. But she always had to admit, it made her job ever so slightly harder, if anything, because she had to take extra precautions as to not offend or worry them.

And so, with her nerves ready, she approached the first room in the unit, room A113.

*Knock* *Knock* "Hello?" the woman softly pushed the door open, taking the chance to look inside as she did so.

Yet, rather than a concrete response, all she heard was:

*Sniffle*

" _This complicates things slightly,"_ she took a soft breath, before steeling her nerves.

Then, carefully, she pushed her way into the room, already bracing for what was to come. And when she stepped inside, she paused, her eyes widening in shock. Now of course, she had seen sights like this many times before. In fact, she'd be lying if she said she hadn't grown just a bit numb to it.

And yet, upon seeing Lori clutching her little sister, she still couldn't help, but stand surprised.

"Don't worry Lana," She heard Lori whisper, clutching Lana tightly as she did so. "Everything's gonna be all right. Lola's gonna wake up soon you know."

Though, rather than respond, Lana buried her tear-filled face into her sister's chest, using it as a tissue to wipe her tears while also trying to find some sense of comfort in her warmth.

Many would step away from this sight, to give the duo some space to grieve. And yet, Maria took a breath and sighed, knowing she had a job to do. "Hello Lori."

A short moment of shock filled the room, before slowly, the young woman let go of her sister, and turned to face the nurse, taking a second to wipe a tear that had filled her eye as she did so. "Hi Ms. Santiago."

"…How is your sister doing?" Maria continued, softly stepping passed Lori and beginning to perform her usual routine, slowly examining the pediatric patient, though taking some extra care upon finding out just who it was.

"The same as when she came in…" Lori replied, glancing at Lana as she did so. "Has anything happened while we were gone? We really wanna know when she'll… wake up, ya know?"

Maria nodded in understanding, before turning to her portable computer and beginning to look up Lola's file. I took a few seconds to load, but when it did, she calmly read through it, only to shake her head in defeat. "I'm sorry Lori… but no. Her condition just hasn't changed at all since she arrived."

"Oh…" the young woman's voice trailed off.

Maria turned to face her. "But don't worry, I'm sure she'll be fine." She then squatted down, to look into the younger girl's eyes. "Lana, right?"

The young girl nodded.

She paused, taking a moment to collect her thoughts, before taking a knee and placing her hands on the young girl's shoulders. "Lana… I know that things are difficult, but don't you worry, we're taking good care of her." Her voice was filled with a warm heat, and yet, Lana couldn't help, but feel as if the icy cold of lies had buried itself within.

After that, Lana watched Maria check her twin's fluids and vitals, before grabbing a small vial from the delivery computer and connecting it to the fluid drip they had already running into her. Finally, the nurse calmly repositioned Lola, no doubt to keep her blood flowing despite being bed ridden. With that, she turned back to the duo. "Please… stay as long as you need. I have heard that talking to patients, even when in a… vegetative state, they can hear you and respond. And Lori."

The young woman turned to Maria.

"Please, feel free to call if you need anything," she finished.

And with that, she stepped back into the hallway, no doubt to attend to her other patients… leaving Lori and Lana behind in the room.

With that, Lori turned and took Lana's hand in her own. "Lana… do you wanna… say goodbye for now?"

For a moment, Lana considered her reply. Lola was still there, right? Well… her body was still here at least. And she could wake up at any moment! The young girl leaned forward, half-expecting her twin to sit upright in the hospital bed and groan about how she hadn't had enough beauty sleep or about how the random beeping noises were keeping her from falling asleep.

And yet, deep down, she knew that those were only ideas, hopeful dreams with no basis in reality.

With that, she took a deep breath and shook her head.

In response, Lori nodded, before tugging her along and together, making their way out of the hospital.

…

" _ **Watch out if you're driving in Royal Woods tonight! Summer may be over, but the its rains aren't! It's gonna be wet, wet, wet so bring your umbrellas and be careful! This is Perch Perkins of the Royal Woods Weather Station, signing off! And now to Patchy with sports!"**_

"Nothing's ever good on this station," Lori whispered as she turned off the radio, filling the Loud family van with silence once more. At this point, the sky was overcast over the town of Royal Woods, with small droplets of rain already making their way down.

Thankfully though, not too heavily when Lori pulled Vanzilla into her home's driveway.

"All right Lana, we're-" Lori tried to start, though Lana bother waiting. Instead, she opened up the door with a broken lock and stepped out into the rainy evening.

Immediately, Lori pulled the keys from the ignition and rushed to her feet. "Lana wait!" Thankfully, she was able to catch up before Lana hid herself away in the rainy-day chaos of their home. And when she did, she placed her hands on her younger sister's shoulders, before turning her around.

With that, Lana looked into Lori's downcast gaze for a moment, before looking away, not saying a word.

And so, Lori continued. "Lana… I know that was… hard to do…" she squatted down and spoke with a motherly tone, trying to put the younger girl at ease. "But just know that Lola-"

"Please, don't," Lana whispered, looking away as she did so.

Lori paused, before continuing. "…just know that, when she comes back, she's gonna love that dress. I know she will."

For a moment, Lana considered giving her sister a thankful reply, though decided against it at the thought. _"She probably wouldn't… it looks like something thrown together in a blender after all…"_ and so, she just shook her head, before turning and stepping into their home.

Leaving Lori to sigh in defeat. _"Oh Lana… if only…"_ before she followed.

At this point the rest of the Loud family had already returned from the failed birthday party and had already begun going off in their ways. Though for the most part, separate from each other. From what Lana could see, Luan was walking around the heavily-decorated living room, slowly and seemingly randomly removing the decorations for what should have been the best day of a six-year-old's life.

She stopped to watch her older sister work, taking in the sight of her slow, though seemingly pained motions, before looking away. _"Lola would want us to wait for her, right? She hated it whenever we would start a party without her."_

In the next moment, she found herself stepping forward, into the kitchen and passed her father. The soft scents of his art filled the air around him, painting the image of a young girl clad in pink for all of the family to see, though none would appreciate it until dinner came. _"Heh, Lola was always Ms. Prim and perfect, but loved messy foods…"_

Eventually, she found herself walking passed their oversized dining room table and over towards the door that led to the backyard. For a moment, she paused, taking in the sounds of the storm raging outside, drenching her little corner of the world in water.

" _I remember when I used to play outside in this weather… I loved spending time with Cliff and Charles…"_ a small pang filled her chest, though she did her best to ignore the feeling. _"But… I haven't done that in a month…"_ she looked out the window. _"Now that I think of it, rain showers like these usually happen during the summer, not October."_

She took a breath, chalking up the weird weather to some crazy conspiracy only Lisa would know about, before pushing the door open and stepping out into the rain-filled evening.

" _The backyard… so many memories here…"_ she thought, as her mind began to race once more, jumping from thought to thought and bringing the countless images of children growing up in a large family to the forefront.

And yet, despite the overwhelming ideas and memories, the young girl didn't seem interested in any of them. Rather, she looked down, trying to cut the thoughts off from her vision, before taking another step and making her way down the patio stairs.

As she stepped into the wet yard, she could feel the newly made mud brush up against the sides of her work boots. Normally she would enjoy the feeling, even going as far as to take said boots off and begin to swim in the stuff. And yet, rather than enjoy the sensation, she winced. _"Lola would be disgusted at me…"_

" _Lana…"_

Suddenly, the young girl looked up, hoping to see the source of the voice. Rather than the rain-filled evening she had stepped into, she now found herself standing in a bright summer morning.

"Hey! Slow down!" The voice continued again, before two girls ran into view. The first, a young blonde in overalls with the second being her spitting image, albeit wearing a pink dress. From what she could see, they were playing a game of tag, with the twin in overalls doing her best to keep ahead of her sister, only for her twin to pounce, causing them both to fall to the ground and the pink-clad girl to shout "tag! You're it!"

Immediately, Lana looked away, trying to purge the memory and sounds of young laughter from her psyche, only for the duo to reappear, this time swimming through a fresh layer of snow that had filled the backyard one cold Michigan winter. After a while, the one dressed in pink grabbed her sister, and together they got up and began to raise a snowman.

And once again, the young girl shook her head, desperately trying to tune out the visions her mind had projected for her, leading to her staring ahead, towards the tree under which they had made those promises so long ago.

" _I promise that I'll never stop loving you."_ Those words echoed through her mind once more, while the hand with which she had laced their promise began to tingle. _"And I promise to always love you too."_

She clutched her hand, desperately trying to calm herself down… only for the voice to cut in once more.

" _You're the worst sister ever! You think that this magnificent work of art, is just a dress?!"_

*Sniffle*

" _I've had it with you constantly dirtying my stuff! Because of you, I'm gonna have to go to regionals in my normal pageant gear! I'm gonna stick out like a sore thumb and lose now!"_

Suddenly, the sensation of a scratch streaked across her face, forcing Lana to place her hand over her cheek.

The one she had attacked all those months ago.

" _You're always messing stuff up! Because you decided to dumpster dive in the rain, you brought home the flu and got everyone sick! Your stupid, dirty pets always destroy my dollies! You're straight up disgusting! I wish you weren't my sister!"_

And with that, the image of her pink twin turning away and slamming the door behind her flashed before her eyes, while the bang that followed ringed in her ears.

In the next moment, Lana found herself clutching her fists, while tears began welling up in her eyes. _"Lola… I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Let me make this right!"_ And yet, before she knew it, she sent her fist into the tree.

" _I promise to always love you!"_ Her thoughts rang out. " _You're the best sister a girl could ever want!"_ She pulled back, before she sent her other fist into the hard trunk. Soft tears began to rush down her cheeks at this point, though masked by the rain pouring over her.

" _You're the reason I got in that fight with Lindsey! If you had stayed away for just one day, then I wouldn't be in the hospital! Was it that hard to ask?!"_

She sent another assault against the tree, though this one left small patches of crimson in its wake.

" _Twins never leave each other behind, lets never get old!"_

"But I left her behind when she needed me the most!" Her angry voice cut through the heavy rain falling upon her as she continued her assault on the tree, though given her strength when compared to the plant, it dealt more damage to her little hands than she did to it.

" _It's my fault. It's all my fault! And I let her take the fall because of it!"_

Several minutes followed after that, before she fell to her knees at the base of the tree. The rain mixed with her salty tears, soaking her face and clothes.

" _Lola's gone because of me…"_ she found herself falling forward and landing on her injured hands. _"I let her down…"_

"Lana!" A familiar voice called out, though the young girl didn't react.

A moment later, Lincoln rushed to his little sister's side. "Lana! What are you doing out here?! It-" yet, his voice trailed off at the sight of his little sister's hands. "L-Lana… what did you-"

Yet, before he could finish, the young girl rushed to her feet and turned, shoving her brother out of the way as she did so. "Get out of my way!" Before she bolted away from her brother and rushed back into her home.

"Lana! Wait! Your hands!" Lincoln turned to try and catch up, only to fall facedown in the mud.

Inside, Lana found herself rushing passed the remaining occupants of the home, before she burst through her room door. She didn't hesitate to slam it behind her and lock it, cutting off the outside world.

"Lana!" she could hear Lincoln band on the door, truing desperately to get her to come out, even if only to ask what happened… only for someone to come by and no doubt tell him to give her space.

With that, Lana found herself sliding down the door, looking blankly ahead as she did so. _"It's all my fault that Lola… that she is like that… I'm the worst sister ever…"_

*Ring*

"Huh?" Lana looked up, towards the source: a certain wooden pole with red fabric dangling from a hanger, its bells stirred up by the whirlwind of activity that she had brought with her into the room. _"The ribbon?"_ slowly, she found herself standing up and stepping towards it. _"It… it's calling to me…"_ carefully, she took the stick and fabric in her bloody hands, before carefully wrapping it around her hands. _"I'll always love you, Lana,"_ a familiar voice echoed through her mind.

She softly nuzzled the ribbon, doing her best to fight back the tears welling up in her eyes once more, only to fail. *Sniffle* "And I promise to always love you too, Lola."

With that, Lana turned away and stepped towards her bed, before climbing inside and curling up into a ball, with the ribbon held firmly in her grip.

"I promise Lola, I will always Love you… and I will make things right, I promise…"

9 23-15-14-4-5-18 8-15-23 20-8-5 15-20-8-5-18-19 1-18-5 4-15-9-14-7. 23-9-20-8 1-12-12 20-8-5 6-15-3-21-19 15-14 12-1-14-1 9-20-'19 5-1-19-25 20-15 6-15-18-7-5-20 23-5 8-1-22-5 15-20-8-5-18-19 20-15 23-15-18-11 23-9-20-8! 1-6-20-5-18 1-12-12, 9-20 4-15-5-19-14-'20 12-15-15-11 12-9-11-5 12-21-1-14-'19 8-1-22-9-14-7 6-21-14 21-14-4-5-3-15-18-1-20-9-14-7 20-8-5 16-12-1-3-5…

 **A/N And that's chapter 5 finally in the record books! I hope you guys enjoyed! As always R &R, fave and follow! Also, here's a hint at what's coming in the next chapter! It involves that cryptogram up there and Lana's crush!**

 **Also, a part of the reason why it took me so long to write this chapter is that I finally finished planning and C1 for the long-awaited Bun Bun story!**

 **See you next time! I'll try not to take a month to update next time!**

 **Guest Replies:**

 **Guest (C1): That's way far away from the story I have planned. Cool idea though!**

 **Ooo: I hinted at what happened here, though I haven't explicitly stated what happened just yet. And thanks! Don't worry, I've already planned the ending, it'll be great!**

 **Guest (C4): The cryptograms are always related to the story in some way. That's all I'll say about them.**


	6. A New Idea

**A/N Hey guys! I'm back! Yeah, yeah, I know this update took forever to make, but I'm busy with college! Yes, I'm taking summer classes. Thankfully though, I was able to finish this chapter! I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Six: A New Idea

"Lana!" Lincoln frantically slammed his fist against her room door, worry filling his voice. "Please! Open up! I wanna help you! What's going on?!"

Nothing. He received no reply in response.

"Please…" he whispered, leaning forward on the door. "Please… I wanna help you…" And yet, much to his dismay, he only received soft whimpers in response.

"Lincoln?" Lori stepped over, her gaze filled with concern. "What's going on?"

The young boy immediately turned to his sister, panic filling his voice. "Lori! I saw Lana outside and she doing something and she ran away and, and!" he pointed at the room door. "She… she!"

"Lincoln!" The young woman took her brother's shoulders in her hands and shook him, forcing him to stop talking for a moment.

"Huh?" he stammered in reply.

"Calm down," she ordered, looking into his eyes. "And tell me what happened."

He paused, before taking a breath and responding. "Lana's hurt!" he flared his arms, trying to emphasize his point. "I saw her punching the tree outside and when I tried to get her to come inside, she ran away!" He turned back to the door. "And then she came up here and locked the door…" he looked down, towards the floor. "I just wanted to help her…"

" _This is because of what happened today…"_ her gaze fell downcast as she looked away in thought, before she stepped forward, passed her brother and took hold of the doorknob. _"I hope this still works… I remember Lana mentioning that she wanted to fix the locks for Lola's privacy when she got back…"_

Lincoln tilted his head in confusion. "Uhh… what're you doing?"

" _Just a turn this way and a giggle that way and…"_ Lori thought as she fumbled with the lock. *click* _"Gotcha,"_ before glancing at her brother and whispering. "Oh nothing, just a little trick I learned for opening doors around here."

Immediately the boy's eyes went wide. _"Note to self, get one of Lana's friends to fix my room's lock when I get the chance,"_ he watched as Lori leaned over and peered into the room that just a moment before had been sealed off to the outside world. From what she could see, Lana had curled up on her bed, clutching the ribbon that her twin had once made dance through the air. She listened in, hoping to hear the soft snores, only to be met by calm whimpers instead. With that, she sighed, before carefully closing the door once more.

"So, uhh… what's going on?" the boy leaned in, curiosity and concern filling his voice

Lori shook her head and sighed. "Lincoln… from the looks of it, Lana's resting right now. So I don't think it'd be a good idea to try and talk to her for a while."

"But what about her hands?" He raised his left fist while using his right hand to point at it. "They were all bloody and stuff, what if something bad happens?!

" _Normally it'd be a bit serious, but this is Lana… she's swam through garbage before with more than those cuts. I don't think we'd have to worry much but… I guess it wouldn't hurt to at least do something…"_ she rubbed her chin. "How about this, you go get the first-aid kit and we'll take a look at them in the morning, all right?"

Lincoln looked up to his sister for a moment, before looking away and giving a small nod. "All right Lori…"

And with that, the young woman nodded as well. "Now, go get some sleep. We're probably gonna have to clean up the party stuff in the morning," before she stepped into her own room, leaving the boy alone in the hallway.

He took one final glance at the door that separated him from his little sister, before he sighed in defeat. _"As much as we try to hide it… things just aren't the same after the accident,"_ slowly, he turned and took a step towards his own room's door.

*Crash* "Whoa!" a voice cried out! Only for a *thud* followed by several *honks!* to radiate from behind him.

"What the?" Immediately, Lincoln turned back, only to find Luan lying face-down in a pile of assorted party supplies. His eyes went wide, while his voice filled with panic. "Luan! Are you all right?!" He quickly rushed to her side, shaking her as he landed on his knees.

In response, she raised her head and gave him a sheepish smile. "Oh hey Link! It looks like this act just **fell flat**! Haha!"

Lincoln gave a small chuckle. _"She's making jokes, at least I know she's not too badly hurt,"_ he got up on his feet and offered her his hand. "Heh, well at least you're all right."

"What? You thought I was gonna make like a banana and split?" She threw her head back in laughter. "Haha!" she wiped a tear from her eye, before rolling onto her back and taking Lincoln's hand. "Anyways, thanks, now time for little ol' me to do a cute little dance outta here!" and with that she immediately began grabbing the supplies.

"Uhh, want some help?" Lincoln tilted his head in curiosity. "Also, aren't you gonna just throw those out?"

"Usually I would, but uhh…" she looked towards her brother and then quickly back at her supplies. "Umm, there's gonna be another birthday party tomorrow and since I spent so much time getting today's party together I can't uhh… go to the store to buy more! Right!" she finished grabbing the stuff. "Now time to pack these things up like sardines! That way I don't end up sleepin' with the fishes tomorrow!"

"Oh do you-" Lincoln tried to reply and yet, before he could finish, Luan had already run into her room and slammed the door shut behind he. "…want help?" he paused for a moment, before sighing and walking over to his room. _"I wonder what's going on with Luan… she's never forgotten about a party before…"_

With that he closed his own door behind him and leaned back against it. _"I guess Operation 'Cheer Up Lana With A Super Awesome Party And Come Up With A Shorter Name For This Operation' failed… And after all the work we put in trying to make it perfect for her…"_ he bowed his head. _"I guess there really is only one thing that could get her to cheer up… but mom and dad told us not to tell her…"_

" _So what can we do? I just don't know…"_ Slowly he found himself standing up once more and moving towards his bed, only for his foot to hit a small object pushed under his bed. Quietly, he pulled it out, a small book with a rainbow unicorn drawn on the cover. _"She always loved it when I'd help her read this…"_ he fought back the urge to tear up for a moment, only for the soft, salty liquid to soon find its way down his cheeks. He hugged the book, before climbing into his bed, wrapping himself up in its covers and dozing off for the night.

* * *

*Ring!* The sound echoed through the morning time home, urging the resting inhabitants to wake up and answer for the person who had decided to come visit surprisingly early.

*Ring!* It echoed once more, causing a certain young girl to begin to stir from her slumber. Normally, she found herself being quite the heavy sleeper, especially given how she had to sleep through her twin's snoring along with her siblings' nighttime antics. And yet, she found herself sleeping lighter than usual given the events of the previous day.

*Ring!* It sounded for the third time. At this point, she opened her eyes and stared at the ceiling. _"Please… stop… I just wanna sleep… I wanna see her again…"_ she threw her arms out at her sides, allowing the ribbon she had fallen asleep clutching to roll over, though it remained in reach.

*Ring!* *Ring!* *Ring!*

" _How can one person take that many shocks?! Don't they know when to quit?!"_ Lana grabbed her pillow and put it on top of her face, following it up with a frustrated scream, before she threw it aside and forced herself upright.

*Ring!* "Ugh, fine!" She shouted, before rushing to her feet. "I'm coming!" she sighed in defeat, before giving herself a glance in the mirror. At this point, she looked like a mess, with her hair bunched up, hat barely sitting on her head and overalls lazily hanging onto her body. _"Lola would tell me to go get cleaned up if she saw me like this…"_

She shook her head, before heading out of her room… Only to be met by the sounds of Lisa typing away on her computer. "Ugh! I do not see the appeal of this game, it's only a puzzle system using a set of inter-dimensional tunnels as the mechanism by which to solve each chamber!"

" _ **Please place the weighted storage cube on the fifteen-hundred Megawatt Aperture Science Heavy Duty Super-Colliding Super Button."**_

"Ugh?! Why is this so difficult?! This stupid AI is even telling me what to do!" Lisa slammed her face against her keyboard in frustration.

" _Lisa playing video games? That's… weird…"_ Lana shook her head. _"But… I'd rather not question it…"_

*Ring!*

" _Right… that's still a thing!"_ The young girl continued forward. "I'm coming! I'm coming!" Before slowly making her way down the stairs… only to find Lori already standing by the open front door.

"Oh, hi there," Lana overheard her greet.

"Hi, I'm looking for Lana? I'm one of her friends and well… she hasn't shown up for our meetings and stuff and I wanted to find out if she was all right and wanted to hang out and stuff…"

Lori paused, before looking away and giving him a small frown. "I'm sorry, but Lana's not feeling all to well right now. Maybe if you come back later, I'd sure she'd love to see you."

The boy's voice fell downcast in response. "Oh… I just thought that… since we haven't hung out…"

"Skippy?" Lana stepped out from behind her sister and tilted her head in curiosity. "What're you doing here?"

"Oh Lana, there you are!" Immediately the young boy's face went slightly red as he rubbed the back of his head and looked away slightly. "Oh, I just came by, ya know, because I wanted to make sure everything's going all right with ya. You missed the weekly meeting of the bike repair club. Plus, I was wondering if you, ya know, wanted to go to the ice cream parlor. There's a two-for-one deal there and I know how much you love them."

The young girl's gaze softened. "Oh, well that sounds cool I guess…"

"So, wanna hang out today?" Skippy cheerfully asked, only to pull back and rub his arm. "If you want to of course."

Lana hesitated, before rubbing her arm as well. "I dunno, I mean… I'd have to ask for permission and you know, my parents might have plans and stuff and…"

"Don't worry, I've got you covered," Lori replied by grabbing her bag and pulling out a set of care keys. "I'll even give you a ride, I don't mind."

"You sure?" she looked towards her older sister in surprise.

Yet, Lori just nodded. "Of course," before she took a knee in front of her little sister and pulled a small box from her purse. "But first… show me your hands."

Slowly, Lana raised the appendages, allowing the wounds she had inflicted upon herself the night before to come into view. Lori took a soft breath at the sight, before grabbing some alcohol pads from the container to clean them with, following that up with some small bandages for her knuckles. "Better?"

The young girl nodded. "…Thanks Lori…"

She nodded in reply. "Please… don't do that again… you really worried Lincoln last night…" she pulled her into a small hug. "Please, we don't want you hurt, ok?"

"…Ok…" she whispered in reply, allowing Lori to break the embrace. "Now, let's go to the ice cream parlor. I'm pretty sure the line's gonna get longer to more we wait. Into the van!"

"Right," Lana replied. And with that, she, Lori and Skippy hopped in Vanzilla and drove off.

 _ **A Few Minutes Later...**_

"Man, Atlas' World Carrying Ice Cream is the best in town!" Skippy raised his cone up in display. "So creamy and filling! It's the perfect blend of sweet and softness! It's pure perfection!" before he brought it down to give his cone another lick. "I just wish we were allowed to pick different flavors, ya know? It's no fun when you have to get the same one as someone else…"

"Yeah…" Lana stared at her cone, a hint of disgust permeating her tongue. _"I hate cookie dough, but it was her favorite…"_

The boy took another lick of his cone. "But hey! At least it's not Dante's Spicy Ice! That stuff's so cold that it burns!" Skippy shivered slightly. "I remember the first time I tried it, my little brother tricked me saying it was a new flavor," he shook his head. "I couldn't get that taste out of my mouth for a whole week!"

Lana gave a small chuckle in response. "Heh… sounds like something they'd do…" she didn't move her focus away from the cone. _"Sounds like something Lola would do when she was mad and wanted to get back at someone for whatever reason…"_

"You ever try it?" he turned to her in curiosity.

Immediately, Lana snapped to him, before quickly turning back. "Yeah…" she gave a fond smile. "My sister… Lola… she made a bet with me saying that I'd have to stop cutting her dolls' hair off if I couldn't chug the whole thing," she started to laugh. "You should've seen her face when I downed the whole thing!"

"Sounds funny," Skippy gave a small chuckle.

"It was. After I beat her, she tried to one up me, only to give her tongue freeze-burn!" she refocused her gaze upon the cone with a small smile. _"Maybe a lick wouldn't hurt."_

"Your sister sounds awesome," quickly, the boy finished off his ice cream cone, before placing his hands behind his head and looking up towards the autumn sky.

"She is…" Lana's voice trailed off.

*Ding!* Echoed through the calm air, prompting the young woman accompanying them to pull out her phone. "Oh look! Bobby just texted me saying he's gonna be over there!" She immediately pointed at some random spot underneath a nearby tree. "I'm gonna go meet him! Why don't you two, ya know, have fun while I wait?!"

Lana raised a finger to object, only for her sister to place her hands on the young girl's shoulder, wink and put her hand on her mouth. "Don't worry, you'll thank me later," she quickly ran off. "Coming Boo-Boo Bear!"

For a moment, the duo stood by in confusion, before Lana shook her head. "Well that was… unexpected…" she gave her ice cream cone a small lick, and winced slightly. _"I don't get why Lola loved this flavor so much… it tastes so… bland! The chocolate's fine, but the dough is…"_ her thoughts trailed off.

"Welp, I guess we're gonna just… wait for your sister right?" Skippy placed his hand on the girl's shoulder. "Right?"

She shrugged. "I guess it couldn't hurt…" she began continuing down the path, with her companion running over to keep up with her. Quietly, they simply walked by, talking in the soft fall air around them. The autumn sun radiated above them, while countless other children played around them, with some using the water guns more characteristic of summer than of fall.

"So, uhh… what's goin' on, Lana?" the boy turned to the girl. "You uhh… never really told me what was going on and stuff."

"Nothing," Lana took another lick of her cone, and looked away, unwilling to make eye contact with the boy.

"How are you doing?" he continued, more curiosity filling his voice.

The young girl shrugged. "Fine I guess," she took a lick of the treat. While she disliked the flavor, she couldn't help but feel closer to Lola as she consumed it. _"I'll never understand why she liked this so much…"_

"Ya know… you're not really talking about your sister much," he tilted his head at her. "Last time we hung out you couldn't stop talking about her, remember?"

Lana replied by accidently biting her ice cream cone. _"You just had to mention her…"_

"How's she doing? I mean… if she's doing all right and stuff," he gave her a nervous smile. "The last time we talked you told me that she managed to go to regionals and the you were really happy for her or something."

" _You're the worst sister ever!"_ the young girl crushed the bottom of her ice cream cone in reply, causing the melting liquid to begin to flow down her hand. _"All you do is mess everything up!"_ meanwhile tears began to flow down her cheeks.

Immediately, Skippy rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Oh… it didn't go too well huh?"

" _You could say that,"_ she shook her head. "No, it didn't," she quickly wiped her tears and waved him off. "It's just, she's sick right now, that's why I'm not talking about her much," her tone willed with awkwardness. "Ya know, like she always says, you can't get your beauty rest if everyone's talking about you! Right?"

Skippy shrugged in reply. "I guess that makes sense," he chuckled. "Man, there's nothing I wouldn't do for my brother."

Lana looked to him in curiosity. "Oh? What do you mean?"

"Like you and your sister," he replied. "No matter what I'd be there for him," he shook his head. "I remember one time he told me that he was being bullied by some kids on the playground, so I went and beat them up for him!"

"Sounds tough," Lana walked over to a trashcan and threw the remains of the cone out.

"It was," he continued. "But I didn't care. I'd go to the ends of the Earth if that meant making sure he was safe ya know?"

" _But when she needed me, I wasn't there for her when she needed me the most…"_ the young girl remained silent, unsure of just how to respond to her companion's words.

"Even if I messed up big time, I'd do anything I could to make up for it," he turned to her. "And I know you'd do the same for Lola, right?"

"Yeah…" her voice trailed off in uncertainty. _"Anything I could to wake her up…"_ her mind immediately jumped to another thought. _"Actions you undertake while she is in her current state may contribute to her current condition…"_

" _I promise to do anything for her,"_ slowly, Lana found her eyes going wide in realization. _"So beat them up for him. It's Lindsey's fault that Lola's stuck like that now…"_ she clutched her fists. _"So if I wanna get her to wake up, I have to beat up the bullies that did it to her!"_ her once downcast expression slowly turned to one of excitement. Quickly, she pulled her companion into an embrace, before shouting. "Skippy! Thank you! I get it now! I know what I have to do!"

"Huh?" Skippy went in confusion, only for Lana to break the embrace and run off, her own heart racing in excitement.

* * *

" _I promise I'll always love you!"_ Lana's mind raced as she ran down the winding roads of Royal Woods. Despite the hot autumn day, Lana ignored the salty sweat rushing down her neck and filling her eyes. Rather, she kept moving forward, her heart beating faster than it ever had before. _"Even if she's gone, she's always watching over in spirit,"_ she clutched her fists, while ducking and dodging the random townsfolk trying to enjoy the warm weather. _"Lola, if you can hear me now, I promise, I'm gonna help you wake up! And I'm gonna start with the thing you didn't get to do because of the accident!"_

With that, she made a hard right and rushed down Franklin Avenue, only stopping momentarily to open the front door, following it up by rushing into her home. _"And there's only one person I know who can help me do it!"_

"Oh! There you are Lana!" Leni greeted, while holding up a small sheet of thread that she was turning into a new dress. "I have a new dress that I was wondering-"

"Sorry Leni! Maybe later! I just thought of a way to wake up Lola!" the young girl bolted passed her older sister and up the stairs, her steps reverberating throughout the home as she did so. _"I can't waste time! Every second wasted is another second I could be spending getting ready to save her!"_

With that in mind, she turned and ran into her room, slamming the door shut behind her as she did so. She panted in exhaustion for a moment, before shaking her head and stepping towards her bed. _"I'm gonna do this for you Lola. I promise."_

Slowly, she took hold of the pole that had seen the red ribbon soar through the air during her twin's routine, and embraced it. _"A spoken promise laced in red ribbon,"_ before she pulled back and separated it from the rod. _"Lola's gonna be so annoyed when she gets back… she always complained about how hard it was to put this thing together…"_ she shook her head. _"But she'll understand. I'm doing this for her."_

She then let out a breath, before removing the ties that held her hair in its signature pigtail shape. While she didn't enjoy having them that way, she preferred it in order to prevent her hair from getting tangled while she worked.

But for her, this next job was more important than anything else.

And so, she pulled the bands out, causing her relatively short hair to loosen up. She then unfurled the ribbon, before bunching up her own hair. Then, carefully, she wrapped the ribbon around it, before creating a small bow with the tie, leaving her hair in the shape of a ponytail. _"Let's go Lola. I won't let you down!"_

With that, she rushed out of her room once more and made a hard left, wasting no time knocking on her only brother's door. "Lincoln! Are you up?! I really need your help!"

Slowly, the young boy opened the door, only to reveal the fact that he was still in his nightclothes and was clutching Bun Bun in his left hand still. "Huh? Lana? What's going on?"

Immediately, Lana clasped her hands together and bowed her head before him. "Lincoln, I think I know how to wake up Lola!" She looked into his eyes with a begging gaze. "I wanna win the pageant that she wasn't able to and finally beat Lindsey! But to do that, I need training again! Can you please help me."

" _I need training… pageant training,"_ Lincoln winced in reply. _"Lola… no…"_ he shook his head. "Lana…"

The young girl looked up to him. "Please Lincoln! I know this'll work! It just has to!"

Yet, Lincoln replied by turning away. "Lana, I'm sorry… but I just… I can't," he shook his head. _"No… I can't let her do that. Lola was willing to take all the risks but I just can't; I can't let Lana do the same. I don't want her getting hurt too!"_ he glanced at her once more with a regretful eye, before closing the door behind him. "I'm sorry Lana…"

Leaving his little sister alone in the hallway once more. Quietly, she fell to her knees and moved forward to land on her hands. _"Dangit!"_ soft tears began to make their way down her cheeks. _"I'm closer than ever! I can't give up now!"_ she shook her head. _"But without pageant training, how else can I beat Lindsey?"_

" _ **Revenge!"**_ The robotic voice from earlier called out. _**"You like revenge, right? Everybody likes revenge! Well let's go get some!"**_

"Yes! Yes! I will detach this idiotic core from the mainframe! It's what you get for sending me down a mineshaft that should've killed me!" Lisa shouted in reply, no doubt not realizing just how loud her speakers were.

" _Revenge…"_ Lana clutched her fists, before punching the floor and pushing herself up. _"He was being bullied by some kids on the playground, so I went and beat them up for him!"_ Lana touched the ribbon now keeping her hair in place, before nodding. _"All right then, let's go get some revenge Lola. I promise, everything's gonna be all right._ "

And with that, she rushed out the door and into the warm autumn day.

13-1-14, 9 1-12-13-15-19-20 6-15-18-7-15-20 20-8-1-20 12-9-19-1 23-1-19 2-1-4 1-20 7-1-13-5-19. 9-'13 19-21-18-16-18-9-19-5-4 19-8-5 23-1-19 1-2-12-5 20-15 2-5-1-20 16-15-18-20-1-12 9-14 10-21-19-20 1 6-5-23 8-15-21-18-19 20-8-15-21-7-8

 **A/N One chapter on the books! I hope you guys enjoyed! Next up on the schedule, what happened that started this all! See you guys in a few weeks! Until next time!**

 **Also, since it's summer, updates are more sporadic. I typically work in the college library so that it's easier for me to work, but given how I don't have much access to it at the moment… yeah… I probably should've warned you guys sooner.**

 **Lastly, the Bun Bun story is in production! You should be expecting it soon! Along with a one-shot based on something someone sent me!**

 **Guest Replies (C5):**

 **Guest: Thanks for the code translation!**


	7. A Dish Best Served Hot

**A/N Hey guys! It's been two weeks! As such, I was able to finish off the next chapter of this story for ya guys! Also, i apologize if this feels a bit rushed, I have an explanation for that in the other A/N.** **I hope you all enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Seven: A Dish Best Served Hot

" _No…"_ the word repeated through Lincoln's mind as he held the handle to the door he had used to shut his sister out. " _Not again… I can't do it again…"_ in that moment, thoughts he believed to have been long-since repressed began to rush forward, clouding the forefront of his mind with the hopes and dreams of one departed from him. "Not again. No… I just can't…" he paused, his mind cloudy and his breath heavy, before he looked up, calmed his gaze and spoke up. "Lucy, I know you're there. You can come out now."

Silence passed by in response, filling the room with an uncertain heat.

"I can hear you breathing, I know you're there," he continued, his voice taking on a firm tone. "Stop hiding."

"Sigh," a soft voice went in reply, before the vent into his room opened up, and from it a young girl crawled out and climbed to her feet.

"How much did you see?" Regret filled the boy's tone.

Lucy hesitated her answer for a moment, seemingly unsure of just how to answer her brother. And yet, she found herself simply asking. "Why?"

Lincoln looked down in response, the words refusing to come to him.

"You told me how much you miss helping Lola get ready for her pageants… so why not help Lana too?" The young girl began to rub her arm. "I mean… it couldn't hurt that much, right?"

He paused in reply. "No," before shaking his head. "I just can't do it again," he turned to face his sister, though found his gaze moving away as his face contorted in pain. "Lola was… she was…" he paused, trying to find the words, and yet only found them eluding his tongue. "… But… pageantry caused her accident. I don't want it to happen to Lana too," he shook his head. "I think it's better for her if she stays away from that life."

She hesitated her response, before raising her voice. "But-"

"Don't try Lucy," Lincoln cut her off, his gaze moving passed the long black locks that covered her blue pupils and into her eyes, his voice filling with a commanding heat while his own expression filled with tears. "It's better this way, I just know it is."

For a moment, Lucy considered prodding further, to urge her brother into acting. And yet, she found herself simply nodding along. "All right then. Sigh," before she disappeared from voice, leaving Lincoln alone in his room once more.

He let out a breath with that, before slowly turning to face the mirror. _"Lana is gonna get through this. She's a hardy girl, one of the hardiest you know and Lola will wake up, just like the doctors said she would…"_ he gazed into his reflection for a moment, his cloudy thoughts now returning to the forefront of his mind. _"But what if you had the chance to help her?"_ he look down, before shaking his head to purge the idea from his mind. _"No, even if there's a chance… I… I can't risk Lana. I don't want her getting hurt too."_

With that, he changed out of his nightclothes and got ready for the day.

* * *

" _Dangit, I guess I really messed up this time,"_ Lana took a breath and shook her head as she stepped into the kitchen to grab herself a snack. _"I've never seen Lola get that angry before. I know she doesn't like getting dirty, but dang… she's never told me to not come to her pageants!"_ she sighed, opened up the fridge and pulled out some pudding. _"Oh well then I guess,"_ she mentally waved herself off. _"I'm sure it's really nothing. I'll just clean up her dress when she gets back so she can wear it next time."_

*Slam!* The sound echoed through the home, causing Lana to turn towards the source: Lori, grasping the sides of the kitchen entrance while panting in exhaustion.

"Huh? Lori? What's going on?" Lana tilted her head in confusion. "And why does it look like you just ran a mile or something?"

"No time to explain!" The young woman wasted no time grabbing her younger sister and pulling, causing the young girl to effectively fly out the door along with her. "Lola got hurt! We're going to the hospital!"

* * *

" _You weren't there when she needed you,"_ the thought rushed through Lana's mind, causing the young girl to shake her head. _"I wasn't there…"_ she carefully rolled behind a bush, before pushing some of the leaves aside. _"There it is, the place where I'll find her,"_ she focused her gaze upon her destination, a small, house-like building with an oversized window in the front, allowing passersby to see the work going on inside. _"I'm gonna bring you back Lola, and it starts with getting back at the girl who caused you to be like that!"_

With that, she crawled out from the bush and rolled, hugging the wall as she approached the practice hall. _"Don't worry Lola, don't you worry…"_ for a moment, she closed her eyes, the world around shifting ever so slightly, back to that faithful afternoon. She found her heart racing once again, as she and her sister rushed passed the building Lola had gone to for her training on their way to Royal Woods General Hospital.

"Lola's hurt?!" Lana shouted as she found herself trying desperately to keep up with her sister, though her small legs struggled to move quickly enough. "What happened?!"

Lori held onto her tightly, aiding the young girl in keeping up. "I don't know! I just saw that girl, what was her name? Sweetwater! Running and telling all the coaches that something happened with Lola! And when we went inside, she was…" the young woman paused. "She was very badly hurt."

* * *

Once again, Lana shook her head, returning herself to the reality of her situation. _"Lindsey's the target. That means I have to be careful,"_ she peered over the alleyway wall, focusing her gaze upon the front door to the hall. _"Lola used to tell me how dangerous you were, Sweetwater. About how you used to set up traps to thin out the competition, though Lola was always smart enough to beat you. But in the end, you went too far. You hurt Lola, and now I'm gonna make you pay!"_

A moment of silence passed after that with Lana's heart racing in anticipation while her mind wandered off the front door and onto the building itself. _"I remember when mom first signed us up for these. I was never into the idea of dressing up and parading around like a princess, but Lola…_ she loved every second of it…" Lana sighed, before steeling her gaze one more. _"But that's beside the point._ _I know she's here. Lola always said she basically lived at the training hall! I just have to-"_

*Ring!* The front door to the building went, followed by a certain young girl stepping out. "See ya guys later!"

From what Lana could see, she was a girl about her own height, with fair skin not too dissimilar from hers. She had long, orange hair that ended in loops as well as soft blue eyes. Lastly, she wore a light blue pageant gown and bow in her hair with matching gloves.

If she didn't know any better, she could have mistaken her for her twin.

" _There you are, the girl who hurt my sister,"_ Lana closed her eyes and placed a soft hand upon the ribbon that now held her hair in a ponytail. _"Don't worry Lola. It's almost time to make her pay. All I've gotta do is catch up to her,"_ With that, she opened up once more, allowing her to watch as Lindsey turned and began to stroll away in the opposite direction.

With that, Lana stepped out from her hiding place and headed directly for the young girl. Thankfully, Lindsey seemed oblivious to the girl trailing behind her, rather she went along quietly, content with the world as it seemed.

And yet she couldn't help, but feel like something was off.

" _Easy does it,"_ Lana thought, as she quickly jumped from cover to cover, doing her best to seem out of sight to her prey. _"What did Lola say about stalking someone? If you want to catch them, you have to be sneaky,"_ she rolled, before hurrying to her feet. _"I have to hurry though, if she gets out of town she'll be able to get home and then I'll never be able to get revenge for Lola!"_ with that, she trailed behind the orange-haired girl, doing her best to not seem too out-of-the-ordinary.

Of course though, this didn't last for long. Lindsey glanced back, taking note of the figure lurking behind her, and decided to speed up. Lana couldn't tell why though, so she decided to speed up as well, doing her best to keep pace with her.

Slowly, Lindsey made a hard right at a nearby intersection, cutting out from Lana's view for just a short moment. _"I can't lose her!"_ Suddenly, Lana felt adrenaline rushing through her veins once more, with her heart racing once more. _"Run!"_ she thought, though she couldn't tell why. That was, until she reached the corner and found that Lindsey had made a break for the suburbs upon turning that corner. _"You're not getting away that easily, Sweetwater!"_

The young girl clenched her fists with that, before bolting as well. _"Here's to hoping Lynn's running lessons pay off!"_ With that, the duo made their way through the center of Royal Woods, their route taking turns and spins as the head tried to break away from the tail, while the tail stayed close in pursuit.

For a moment, the maze-like streets of Royal Woods seemed to morph, the sunny autumn light changing into the sterile white of a hospital corridor. _"Where is she?!"_ The young girl panicked. _"I have to see my sister again!"_ Quickly, she turned, before rushing down another seemingly random hallway. _"I'm lost…"_

She turned again, only to be met by a corridor's end, meaning she would have to double back and continue her search. Like a rat in a maze, she was trapped, constricted by the cold white walls and unfeeling professionals that filled the space between them.

And yet she pushed forward. _"I can't give up, I have to find her!"_ And with that, she pushed onwards, her goal ever so close and yet so far away.

* * *

In the next moment, she was back on the trail of Lindsey Sweetwater, the orange-haired girl having turned down a nearby alleyway in hopes of escaping her pursuer. _"The arcade is at the end of that one,"_ with that, she turned and stopped at the mouth of the opening.

Ahead of her, stood the pageant princess, clawing at the wall standing between her and escape, but to no avail. Lana had finally cornered her. There was no way out this time.

"Lindsey Sweetwater?" Lana spoke up, her voice harsh while she clenched her fists.

For a moment, the young girl paused, before turning to face her. "Looks like the end of the line, huh? I'll admit, I kinda expected this to happen… I always saw it in those cowboy revenge movies," she sighed in resignation. "Before you start, I just wanna say… I'm sorry for what happened."

Lana paused, before raising her fist. In that instant, she didn't care for the apology, nor did she bother replying to what had been said. Instead, she pushed forward and swung.

*Smack!* The sound echoed through the alleyway as Lindsey fell to the ground, a red mark now staining the skin of her cheek. "You hit hard, just like she did…"

Slowly, Lindsey stood up once more. And yet, rather than raise her fists in retaliation, she held her arms out, looking as if she were asking for a hug of some kind.

Without hesitation, the young plumber steeled herself and let out another punch, striking Lindsey in the abdomen and knocking the wing out from under her, causing her to double over in pain.

And yet, though it took a moment, Lindsey stood up once more. "I'm not gonna fight you," she whispered in a raspy voice, followed by her holding out her arms once more.

In her frustration, Lana tried to scratch her, though given how unlike her twin, she never sharpened her nails, it became more of a slap than anything else. It still managed to send her reeling back to the ground, the mark now staining the opposite cheek.

And again, without a single word, she stood back up, prompting Lana to clench her fists and swing again. "Fight back!" she cried, frustration filling her voice. "Why won't you fight back?!"

"Because I deserve this," Lindsey whispered as Lana sent another punch to her abdomen, though this time, her punch wasn't as painful, though that was probably due to the exhaustion that had begun to overtake the young plumber.

"Come on!" Lana shouted, her voice filled with pain. "Fight me like you did Lola! You put her in the hospital!" Tears began to flow down her cheeks, as did Lindsey's. "Come on! I know you have it in you!"

And yet, Lindsey didn't respond, choosing instead to keep her arms outstretched, waiting for Lana to finish.

Slowly, Lindsey's features began to shift. Her eyes softening from brown to blue with the curls in her hair smoothening out, before the strands took on an almost golden hue.

"Stop just standing there!" She closed her eyes as she continued the assault, her voice became weary while Lindsey's frilly green dress straightened out and took on a glittery pink. "Fight me! Please, fight me!"

Exhaustion soon set in upon her, prompting her to open her eyes, only to be met by her twin, standing before her, bruised, but with her arms outstretched, waiting for her embrace. "Lola…" Lana whispered, before she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her cheeks "Lola…"

*Whimper* Lindsey finally went, tears of her own beginning to flow as well.

" _She… she's crying…"_ the plumber's harsh gaze softened with that. _"She… she doesn't want to fight me,"_ slowly, Lana stood up once more. And yet, rather than prepare another attack, she found herself stepping closer to Lindsey, taking in her familiar, and yet so different features.

"Lola was my rival, but I wish we could've been friends," the pageant princess whispered. "I know that I hurt her… if it wasn't for me she'd-"

And yet, Lana found herself wrapping her arms around the young girl, returning the embrace she had long-since desired to receive. "Lindsey…"

Without another word, Lindsey pulled Lana closer, with all of her remaining strength. "I'm sorry… if I could see Lola again, I'd tell her that too."

" _Same here…"_ Lana thought, and when she opened her eyes again, she found herself standing in the hospital once more, surrounded by the random people who passed through its halls every day: those occupied with others to take note of the child's plight. _"Lola… I need you… where are you?"_

She found herself stepping through the hospital once more, holding her arm awkwardly as she wandered, searching for her other half, hidden within one of the rooms.

And yet, she simply find herself pushed by the winds of harsh reality. _"I need you Lola, please… answer me!"_

Eventually though, the young plumber found herself in the hospital's pediatric ward once more, surrounded by the decorated walls meant to cater to the children passing through that place.

And yet, rather than comforting, she couldn't help, but feel slightly off put by the sight.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry…" A familiar voice spoke up, prompting her to peek into a nearby room. Inside, she found her parents, as well as the doctor from before standing at the side of her sister's body, with her sister hooked up to the random tubes and machines no doubt required to keep her stable. "But… we've done everything we could for the time being. For now… well… we can monitor her and inform you if something about her condition changes…"

Those words ringed in her mind. _"But… doctors could do anything right? They have to be able to help Lola! They just have to!"_

"What are we gonna do, Lynn?" Rita turned and leaned into her husband's arms. "The kids are gonna be worried and we don't know what to do and what if they ask questions, how'll we answer them?!"

Yet, Lynn Sr. held his wife close, using his heat to comfort her. "Don't worry dear, we'll figure something out. But for now, we have to stay strong, for them, all right? Let's go tell them the news. They're gonna start getting worried…"

Rita gave a small nod with that, before the two parents and doctors made their way out of the room, thankfully not noticing the child listening in from the outside.

" _Lola… I have to see you again…"_ carefully, the young girl approached the bed upon which her sister lay. Her mind and heart raced, staying off the beat set by her sister's respirator and monitor. At this point, Lola's body was mangled, with tubes and lines of all kinds flowing in and out of her along with bandages covering the various cuts and bruises she had sustained from the accident. No doubt the most important thing though, were the bandages around her head, most likely from the emergency surgery they had performed just a few moments prior.

" _No…"_ Lana reached out to her twin, only to find herself stopping short, unwilling to touch her once more, to feel her skin brush up against her own, just like old times. _"This is all my fault! All because I ruined her dress!"_

In the next moment, Lana found the world around her shift once more, leaving her clutching the girl she believed to be the cause of her misery.

Slowly, she let go of Lindsey and turned away, unwilling to look at her now bruised face.

"Lana… that's your name, right?"She wasted no time speaking up. "I'm sorry about… I'm sorry about what happened to Lola…"

Lana paused for a moment, before whispering. "What happened?"

"Huh?" Lindsey looked up in confusion.

"What happened?" She repeated, before turning to face the battered girl. "My sister told me that you ran to the coaches after Lola got hurt," she looked into Lindsey's eyes, her gaze fierce against the other girl's. "Please, I wanna know what happened to her."

Lindsey stood by in shock for a moment, before nodding and taking a breath. "All right… I'll tell you."

* * *

" _Finally, the National Miss Prim and Perfect Pageant! The highest level contest in Royal Woods!"_ A sinister smile overtook Lindsey. _"It's a shame I couldn't set up any traps to thin out the competition, but then again none of them are a match for me!"_ she then made her way into the building. _"Watch out Lola Loud, I'm coming for ya!"_

With that, she headed into the hall to get ready.

" _Now, where is that girl? I have to stay one step ahead of her if I'm gonna beat her today!"_ For the first few moments after she entered the venue, Lindsey carefully sneaked from room to room, checking for any sign of her adversary. _"Who knows what diabolical plan she's coming up if I can't find her right now!"_

*Sniff* A sweet, glittery perfume began to fill the air with that, causing Lindsey to raise her nose. _"There she is. Oh Lola, you have got to stop using that scent if you wanna hide from me,"_ she slowly eased along after that, carefully continuing the search for the girl.

"Ehh, that stupid chandelier should hold for the time being," she overhead as some workers passed by the corridor she hid in. "As long as it doesn't get hit too hard it should be fine."

With that, Lindsey found herself stepping into the grand dining hall. It was large, with the tables lining the walls, leaving a small space in the center for dancing. A ladder stood underneath the main light fixture that lit the room, while the wire that tethered it to the ceiling seemed bent and held together loosely with duct tape and super glue.

Her adversary stood below that fixture, her focus held tightly on the back wall, no doubt a part of the pre-contest preps that would give her an edge above the competition.

"Well, well, well, Lola Loud!" Lindsey shouted, filling the room with her voice.

Immediately, the pink girl swung around and glared. "What do you want, Sweetwater?"

Just came by to wish you good luck!" she snickered, putting her arms on her hips as she did so. "Haha, I mean, you're gonna need it after all!"

"Whatever, I'm just gonna beat you like I always do," in response, Lola held her arms out elegantly at her sides, before turning to stepped passed her rival. "You've go no traps to get rid of the competition this time around! You're gonna ave to win on your own skill, something you sorely lack."

"Heh, you really think so? I mean, you're not even wearing a better dress!" Lindsey crossed her arms and spoke with an uptight voice. "From the looks of it, your dog for a sister messed up your others ones, leaving you in that old rag!"

For a moment, Lola paused, before steeling herself and glaring at Lindsey. "Never talk about my sister like that."

"Oh? Hit a soft spot I see," The orange-haired girl raised an eyebrow and put on a sinister smile. "Why not? You don't want me talking about your pet twin?" She laughed. "I remember when she barked like a dog when I brought my pet rabbit in! Do you feed her kibble or something?! It's only-"

In an instant, fire ignited in Lola's eyes, followed by her pouncing on Lindsey, causing them to roll into a nearby table. "I told you never to talk about her like that! Lana's the best sister a girl could have!" she scratched at Lindsey, who quickly blocked, causing her glove to be hit instead.

"Whatever!" Lindsey countered, by kicking up, forcing Lola back, onto her butt, and allowing Lindsey to jump onto her feet. "She's as ugly as you are! All that mud doesn't do anything for her complexion!"

"Grr!" Lola rolled over and ducked down, following up with swing kick, causing her rival to fall to the ground.

Yet, not to be outdone, the orange-haired girl flipped onto her stomach and kicked up, knocking Lola off balance and back again. "Anything you can do, I can do better!"

"No, you can't!" Lola shouted, sending a fist at Lindsey, who responded by catching it and sending her own, which Lola countered by catching it as well. "Gr'ahh!" She forced Lindsey back, before punching her in the abdomen. "That's for my sister!"

Suddenly, Lindsey found herself stumbling back, into the ladder that the workers had left behind after working on the chandelier. It tipped over, falling into the poorly secured fixture. Said fixture then swung for a short moment, before the duct tape and glue gave way, causing it to fall from the ceiling.

"Watch out!" Lola shouted as she tackled Lindsey away from the falling chandelier, causing it to fall upon her instead.

In the next moment, Lindsey stood up, now cut and bruised from the glass as well as from the fight. "Lola!"

But there was no response. All that Lindsey could see of the Diva was the tiara she had once worn upon her head.

* * *

"She saved me," the young girl whispered. "We fought, but rather than let me get hurt, she pushed me out of the way and she got hurt instead…" she held her arm awkwardly, seemingly trying to give herself a hug.

" _Lola… even though I messed up, she still loved me,"_ Lana's eyes softened once more, though this time she managed to hold back the tears trying to find their way out this time. She slowly turned to Lindsey. "Is that everything?"

The young girl nodded. "Yeah, that's the truth. After the fight I ran to the coaches and told them there was an accident… though I lied about how we ended up there…"

For a moment, the young plumber considered punching her again and yet, couldn't help, but feel oddly remorseful of what she had done. _"She's sorry… but she hurt her…"_ she clenched her fists once more, before releasing and letting out a sigh. "Thank you," with that, she stood up and began to walk away.

"Wait!" Lindsey shouted, before she pulled out a small crown. "Please, give this to her… she deserved it more than me."

The blonde-haired girl took it in her hands. "What is it?"

"It's the Miss Prim and Perfect Crown…" she looked away and shook her head. "I won it but… I know Lola would've been able to beat me if she was allowed to compete. she was so... amazing, beautiful... perfect," she clutched her fists, rubbed her arm and looked away. "I wish we couldve been more..."

Slowly, she took it in her hands and nodded.

Lindsey turned back, her eyes filling with a begging hope. "Please, Lana, if there's anything I can do to help, please feel free to ask," her voice filled with a warm sincerity. "I wanna make up for what I've done," she looked away and rubbed her arm. "I know I hurt Lola, but I wanna make this right!"

And in response, Lana nodded. "Thank you…" before she turned and began to walk off. _"Maybe… maybe she can help."_

6-15-18 18-5-22-5-14-7-5 25-15-21 4-9-7 20-23-15 7-18-1-22-5-19, 2-21-20 23-8-1-20 1-2-15-21-20 6-15-18 18-5-4-5-13-16-20-9-15-14? 12-1-14-1 13-1-25 8-1-22-5 1-14-15-20-8-5-18 23-1-25 20-15 23-1-11-5 12-15-12-1 21-16 1-6-20-5-18 1-12-12.

 **A/N I hope you all enjoyed! Man, I had to overclock when writing this chapter because I'm gonna be going on a family trip this Wednesday. As such, I won't be posting for the next 2-3 weeks. Just a heads up!**

 **I should get some sleep.**

 **Guest Reviews (C6):**

 **Guest: Yep, here's the explanation for what happened! I hope you enjoyed!**


	8. Step One- Starting Out

**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back! And with me I brought a new chapter! Yes, I am aware that I'm updating slowly, but after the trip I had to get settled back in and with the other story I'm working on at the moment plus school, I just couldn't find the time. But, with a new schedule, I hope to be back on track soon! I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Eight: Step One- Starting Out

" _She can help…"_ the thought crossed Lana's mind again, her soft steps mixed with Lindsey's whimpers as she walked away. _"So why am I letting her go?"_ she paused and looked to the side in thought, before turning around.

*Sniffle* the auburn-haired girl went. No doubt the pain of the beating she had just received had finally gotten to her.

"Lindsey…" Lana took a breath.

Immediately, the pageant princess looked up, wiping one of the tears that had formed below her eyes. "Y- yes?"

The blond girl offered her a hand. "Do you wanna see Lola again?"

Instantly, Lindsey's eyes went wide and she grabbed hold of her former assailant's hand with both of her own. Lana was barely able to pull her onto her feet before she accidently pulled her to the ground.

"You're gonna wake up Lola?!"

"Y-yes! I'm gonna try," the plumber stumbled back immediately afterwards, no doubt surprised by the sudden outburst. "But I uhh… not sure where to start."

Lindsey rushed over and grabbed Lana's shoulders. "Do you have any ideas? I don't care what it is, I wanna make it up to her," she paused. "I was thinking of visiting her in the hospital, but… I…" her voice trailed off, with her tone already having fallen downcast, seemingly unsure of just how to continue her rather panicked train of thought.

Lana pushed back slightly, breaking the girl's bear-like grip on her, and yet, still looking into her eyes. "Then, would you like to… come with me? To see her?"

She paused in reply, the words alluding her tongue; her answer so close, and yet so distant. And so, she looked away in thought, trying to choose the right ones.

"Maybe… maybe you could-"

"No."

The plumber's gaze fell to the side in confusion. "Why? Don't you-"

Yet, before she could finish, her new companion cut her off. "Because… I just don't," Lindsey bowed her head in shame. "I don't wanna see my handiwork. I… before the accident I didn't care about anything aside from winning. Lola was the only person I could never mess up before every pageant and now… it's my fault that I'll never be able to… challenge her again."

" _It's my fault…"_ the thought crossed Lana's mind as she offered her hand to the young girl.

And in response, Lindsey took it with both of her own once more, before looking into Lana's eyes with a small, sincere smile. "But, just because I caused it doesn't mean I can't help you out, right? That way I can say sorry when she does wake up again!"

Though slightly surprised, Lana placed her free hand on top of Lindsey's two. "Well then… help me wake her up."

"I promise, I will," she didn't hesitate to reply. "But… how?"

"My sister told me that the things I do can maybe effect how she is," her voice filled with a soft, determined heat. "And so, I got the idea that… well to beat you in a pageant," she couldn't help but softly smile and look away before turning back and continuing. "But… now I'm not sure.""

Lindsey rubbed her chin, before snapping her fingers. "I think I know what we can do!"

Lana's eyes lit up.

"Lola's accident happened right before the big regional tournament. Maybe if you win that, she'll wake up!" the auburn-haired girl's voice filled with excitement. "They hold one every few months so the next time with be… in December!"

"Lindsey, you're onto something!" the blonde-haired girl's eyes filled with excitement, before she broke their hold and grabbed Lindsey's hands with her own. "But… my brother doesn't wanna train me. How'll I get ready without his help?"

"Lana, I practiced with and competed against Lola all the time. I know her tricks like the back of my hand!" Lindsey gave a small chuckle. "Just because she always managed to one-up me doesn't mean I don't know how to compete."

With that, Lana gave a small smile, before pulling Lindsey in close and wrapping her arms around her. "Oh thank you! Thank you so much!"

"It's the least I can do," Lindsey replied by hugging Lana in return, before pushing away. "All right, I'll go get ready to start making a routine for you."

"Got it, what should I do in the meantime?" determination filled the young girl's voice.

"Maybe get some help," she replied. "Pageant acts can get pretty complicated, plus I'm pretty sure Lola asked your other siblings for help too, because her acts were pretty crazy," Lindsey rubbed her chin. "It might be a good idea to dig up some of my old pageant videos. I recorded Lola because I needed them for studying."

"All right then, thanks again Lindsey…" Lana smiled, before awkwardly rubbing her arm. "Sorry about beating you up."

Yet, Lindsey simply waved her off. "It's fine… I deserved that for a long time now anyways."

And with that, Lana turned and bolt off, her heart now racing in excitement as she made her way back through the town of Royal Woods on her way home.

" _Finally, I have a chance,"_ she gulped. _"I know you and Lindsey didn't like each other at all, but she's promised to help wake you up Lola! And since I know she's sorry, I hope you'll forgive us!"_ she then turned and looked up, towards the sunset sky. _"I'm gonna do what I have to, to wake you up Lola! I promise!"_

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

"Thanks for the ride Ms. Lori!" Skippy cheerfully went as he jumped out a vanzilla.

"No probs, Skippy, you enjoyed the day, right?" she gave the young boy a small wave in reply. "And, sorry about Lana. I don't know what got into her."

"I did and it's all right," he waved her off. "She seemed pretty excited when she ran away, so I guess she figured something out or something. See ya!"

" _I hope she didn't decide to do something drastic…"_ the thought crossed the young woman's mind as she watched her young charge turn and begin heading off on his way. She took a breath and shook her head. _"Dangit…"_ before driving off.

For the next few moments, she found herself driving through the quiet town of Royal Woods, passing by the random people and families that called it home. Their voices and smiles so eerily close and yet so distant from her own being. _"Come on Lori! I wanna go to the mall! Now I wanna go to the pet store! I need food for El Diablo!"_ For a moment, she glanced back, half-expecting to see a certain set of twins arguing over the trivial matter of the day, only to be met by the empty backseat of the family van.

Quickly, she turned back and shook her head. _Lana… why do you have to make me worry so much?"_ she banged her head against the wheel as she came up to a red light. _"I was hoping that a day with Skippy would cheer you up, but from what he told me, you had other ideas… I don't want you to end up like Lola, Lana… I just want you to be safe,"_ with that thought, she found herself pulling into a familiar driveway and stepping out of the van, purse strapped over her shoulder. And a few seconds later, she pushed her way into her room. "Mom! Dad! I'm home! Is Lana here?"

No response. Though, she didn't expect one anyways.

With that, she sighed and plopped herself on the couch. _"Don't worry Lori, just keep it together. Lana's a smart girl. Just because she's a kid doesn't mean she's gonna do something stupid or get in a free candy van… right?"_

She shook her head, and pulled out her phone, wasting no time clicking on the 'photos' app and beginning to scroll through. _"Just keep it together and things will be fine, just like they all said…"_

*Slam!*

"Huh?" the young woman immediately looked towards the source: Lana, panting out of exhaustion, but aside from that, unharmed. She rushed to her feet and scooped the young girl in her arms. "There you are!" She held her out. "I was so worried about you!"

"Heh," she awkwardly rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry Lori, it's just, I got an idea for waking up Lola! I just couldn't wait!"

Lori's eyes went wide, prompting her to let go of her little sister. Thankfully, Lana reacted quickly, landing on her feet without issue.

"A while back, Lisa told me that I the things I do could help wake her up," Lana's gaze and tone filled with determination. "And so while I was talking to Skippy, I decided to do whatever I could!"

Lori winced slightly. _"The doctors said otherwise…"_ though she said nothing, choosing instead to continue listening to her little sister's idea.

"Lori, I'm planning on entering the pageant Lola… had the accident before, and winning it for her," the young girl's eyes softened with that, turning into a begging gaze. "Please, I'm gonna need all the help I can get. Can you help me?"

For a moment, the young woman hesitated. It had already been over a month since the accident and everything the doctors had told them had implied a… less than favorable fate for Lola at this point. Yet, a part of her still held hope, for what? She did not fully know. And so, she found herself squatting down to Lana's height and placing her hands on her knees. "Lana… it'll be hard, you know that right?"

"Yeah," Lana stared into Lori's eyes. "I know, but Lola's worth it," she eased her hand back and tugged at the ribbon that held her small ponytail in place. _"I promise."_

She looked away for a moment, but ended up giving a few small nods. "All right Lana, all right… I'll help you."

Instantly, Lana's eyes lit up and she threw her arms around the young woman. "Thank you Lori! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" immediately pulling back. "I'm gonna head upstairs. Lindsey told me that I have to start working on my routine if I'm gonna be ready in time!"

Lori shivered at the name. _"Sweetwater…"_ before nodded along. "All right Lana… don't get into any trouble now."

"You got it!" she cheerfully rushed passed, wasting no time heading up the stairs and out of the young woman's sight. "I'm gonna go tell the others later! This idea has to work! I know it will! It just has to!"

"Good luck! I'll be down here if you need help!" Lori spoke in an encouraging tone, before letting out a breath in defeat. "Dangit Lori… why'd you…" she whispered, before shaking her head and taking a seat on the couch once more. For a moment, she paused, seemingly unsure of what to do next. But once it passed, she found herself scrolling through her phone once more.

It took a few seconds for her to scroll to a certain group of photos, of a certain young girl in a pink pageant gown and her face covered in makeup making it appear as though she were sick. Though as she scrolled through, the effects of Lincoln's instruction and her own hard work took shape, revealing the perfect skin hidden beneath and beautiful smile that determination brought with it. _"Lola…"_

And all Lori could do in response, was do her best not to shed a tear at the sight.

* * *

"And here!" Lana declared as she jumped onto the top landing of the stairs, holding her arms out in order to keep her balance. She pivoted with that, attempting to make her way towards her room and begin the first step of her plan. _"Don't worry Lola! I'm gonna-"_

"Hi Lana! There you are!" A certain young woman greeted, picking her up before she could bolt off. She turned her around with a smile. "Hey! Nice ponytail! It looks good on ya!"

"Uhh, thanks Leni," Lana went in confusion. "But uhh… why'd you pick me up? I'm kinda in the middle of trying wake up Lola."

Instantly, Leni's eyes went wide. "Y- you're gonna wake up Lola?!"her hands trembled and heart raced as her smile grew wide and she pulled the young girl in. "Oh! I know you can do it, Lana!"

"T-thanks Leni," Lana struggled to reply due to her sister's bear grip seemed to almost crush her. "P-please! Leni, let go a bit. Y-you're crushing me!"

"Heh oh, sorry," she gave a small chuckle and let go, allowing Lana to dust herself off and take a breath.

She took a breath. "Anyways, yeah Leni, I'm planning on entering a pageant to wake up Lola!" she rubbed the back of her head. "I was just about to try and figure out where to start, but I don't know…"

Leni rubbed her chin, before snapping her fingers. "Like, I totes know how to start!" then, before Lana could ask what she meant, Leni grabbed her and pulled her into her room, before tossing her on the bed.

"Leni! What're you-"

"I've been working on dresses ever since Lola ended up in the hospital!" she rushed into her closet and grabbed an armful worth of designs, before bringing them out and dropping them on the bed next to her little sister. "I know these aren't pageant gowns, but like, I'm pretty sure that if we find one you like we can make that into a gown…"

Leni paused, and began to rub her arm awkwardly. "Plus… I've been meaning to see if these would fit Lola, but like, I haven't had a model for them…"

" _Because I haven't been around…"_ Lana hopped off the bed and turned to the pile. "Well then, I guess that works out Leni!"

"You'll try them on?!" She asked, cheer filling her voice.

The young plumber gave a nod. "Yeah, after all, I've gotta have something good for pageants right? Plus, Lola told me how I'd look good in a dress."

"She did?" the young woman tilted her head in confusion.

And Lana shrugged in reply. "Yeah, I never took it seriously, but I guess she was onto something."

"Well then, let's do it!" she began to rummage through the pile for a moment, before pulling out her first design: a rather simple, light-blue dress more akin to a nightgown than something to show off. No doubt made as a first dress when she was warming up.

Without wasting time, she shoved the garment in the little girl's arms before pushing her behind the divider for some privacy.

A moment passed after that, before Lana finally emerged, now dressed in the simple article. "Hmm… it's all right, but a bit plain."

The seamstress rubbed her chin and pulled out her measuring tape before getting to work, quickly checking Lana's dimensions- and by extension, her twin's- before returning to the pile. "All right then, how about this?" She then pulled out a second one, this time a dark-blue dress decorated with a light-blue diamond on its center. Baby-blue laces wrapped around the dress' waist and its shoulders were poufy.

Lana rubbed her chin, before grabbing from her sister and putting it on. "Let's see," and a few moments later she emerged from dressing up now clad in the garment. "Huh, it looks pretty good," she gave a small chuckle. _"Never thought I'd see the day where I actually enjoyed wearing a sparkly towel like this…"_

"It totes matches your eyes!" Leni waved her off. "Like, all the boys'll come runnin' for ya!"

" _Not really interested in those at the moment,"_ the young girl looked back, taking note of the fact the laces came together and tied into a bow at the back of her waist. "Well Leni, I think we might have a winner!"

"Yay!" Leni cheered, before turning and rummaging through the pile. "Well I have a bunch of dresses here, would you mind trying them out for me? Just so I can make sure they'll fit her?"

For a moment, Lana considered declining, after all she was so close to starting her plan to wake up her twin! And yet, she found herself shrugging. "Ehh, sure, why not!"

"Great!" She shouted, before grabbing some of the dresses and shoving them in the young girl's hands, following that up by pushing her behind the divider and waiting. "All right Lana! It's all you!"

" _Man… I remember when Lola would spend hours just doing this with Leni,"_ Lana gave a small chuckle at the thought. _"That would explain why she was always the most fashionable contestant whenever she competed."_

For the next few moments, Leni continued, having Lana fit all of the dresses she had for her twin, all the way until she found herself holding up a rather elegant-looking pink dress.

"All right Leni, I'm ready for the next one!" Lana undressed herself and held out her arm, ready for whatever else Leni had in store for her to try on.

The young woman paused, before rubbing her face against the garment for a moment, allowing her to feel its soft fabric, before she took a breath and handed it over.

Another moment passed as Lana tried it on. Unlike the previous dresses, she found herself struggling to fit this one, due to its rather odd lacing and surprisingly small fit. Though it was made for a person her size, it seemed to have been made some time ago. Eventually however she managed and stepped out from the divider to pose. "So, how do I look?"

For a moment, Leni remained silent, her eyes filling with a begging hope. Soft tears began to make their way down Leni's cheeks with that, before she fell to her knees. "L… Lola?"

"What're you…" the young girl's voice filled with confusion, before she turned towards the room's mirror. And when her eyes fell upon her own image, the realization hit her.

She was wearing a majestic, pink dress with purple highlights. Its frills took all sorts of shapes and sizes, as two ribbons wrapped around the dress' main body, giving it the appearance of a pink rose.

Exactly like the one Leni had made all those months ago for her twin.

In the next moment, the young woman wrapped her arms around her younger sister, while the young girl's mind began to fill with the countless thoughts associated with one so close, yet so far away. _"You're the worst sister ever!"_

* * *

"But Lola-" Lana tried to counter. "It's just a dress! It's not that big a deal!"

Lola's eyes went wide. "Just… a dress?" her left eye twitched, before she began to whisper. "Just a dress. Haha, you think, that this," she motioned towards the garment she was wearing which, despite its rather beautiful design, had a single blemish: a mud stain right on its center. No doubt from one of Lana's famous muddy hugs. "Magnificent work of art is just a dress?!"

"Lola! Time to go!" Rita's voice echoed through the Loud House, causing the child's rage-filled gaze to soften into a disappointed frown.

"We'll finish this later," she gave a twin a passing glare with that. "Because of you, I'm gonna have to go to the regional tournament in my old pageant gown! I'm gonna look like a sore thumb on stage now!"

"Come on Lola, it's not that serious!"

And yet, rather than counter the assertion, Lola simply looked away and shook her head.

"I don't have a sister anymore."

* * *

" _I don't have a sister anymore,"_ those words echoed through the child's mind, causing her to look down in disappointment. _"I didn't deserve a work of art like Lola…"_

"Sorry Lana,"Leni wiped the tear from her eye. "It's just, you look so much like her…"

"Yeah… we were twins," Lana tried to give a nonchalant response, only to find herself looking away. _"Lola hates me…"_

"Hey…" Leni's voice softened as she turned Lana to face her once more. "But you do look good in that dress."

"Thanks Leni," Lana gave a small smile, only for the young woman to turn her and hop in immediately taking a photo of the two of them. "Heh, so cute!"

The plumber couldn't help, but give another small smile at the sight. "Thanks Leni."

The young woman paused, and gave a smile. "Don't worry, mom and dad told me that even though it may not look like she's here, she's always watching out for us. Like she's here with us in spirit!"

" _I hope not literally…"_ the young girl shivered at the thought, before taking a breath. "Leni… do you wanna help me wake Lola up too?"

For a moment, Leni simply smiled, as if she had just been waiting for her sister to ask. "I would love to. I've been making all these dresses for her and she… she's gonna miss wearing them if she gets too big!"

Lana gave her a sincere smile. "Thanks Leni. I'm gonna need the best pageant gown you can make then!"

And in response, Leni simply smiled, seemingly already understanding what her plan was.

With that, Lana changed back into her regular clothes and made her way out of the room of her eldest sisters. _"That's two… I didn't expect to get their help yet, but I guess the sooner the better."_ She sighed as she turned and made her way over to her room. _"I know I'm gonna need as much help as I can get… but even with all of them…"_

"Oh great, another personality core that probably wants me dead!" A familiar voice called out, followed by the sound of a clicking- no doubt to get through the character's dialogue.

" _She's probably come up with something by now…"_ slowly, she turned and glanced into the room. From what she could see, her little sister was sitting at her computer again, her gaze focused on continuing the game she had been playing that whole day. _"I mean, it couldn't hurt to ask her, right? We always do that…"_ she slowly stuck her head into her room and great. "Uhh, hey Lisa, you busy right now?"

The scientist didn't bother turning to face her sibling, choosing instead to work on the puzzle her game had presented. "Hello older sibling, what brings you to my dwelling?"

She rubbed the back of her head. "Well… remember what you said about Lola… not waking up?"

Lisa paused her game for a moment and looked aside, seemingly attempting to consider her response, though she simply turned back and continued. "Yes, I am aware."

"Did any ideas come up lately? I mean, you've gotta have found something by now, right? You know, to wake up Lola," Lana's eyes went wide, begging her to give her an affirmative answer.

Lisa glanced at her workbench, the table filled with the remains of failed experiments and projects. Truth be told, she did attempt some of her ideas, and yet, simply found them all to fail, each possible lead bringing her yet another dead end.

And with every failure, she found herself becoming more and more glued to her computer. The device once used for tests and models now being used to run games. Who knew a high-end computer designed to model quantum mechanics would work so well for gaming?

"I'm sorry Lana, but my focus is currently on miniature drones- nanites as I wish to call them- but they are currently prototypes and I wish not to begin trials until I complete phase one testing. Aside from that, I have nothing else to report."

"Oh," Lana went in disappointment, before she perked up once more. "Well if they work, do you think you'll be able to wake up Lola with them?" she leaned forward, and widened her eyes, begging for an affirmative response.

"Possibly… now please leave, this Portal 2 Mod is extremely difficult and I wish to complete it before dinner time, if possible," she waved her off, not bothering to look at her sister as she did so.

Lana gave a nod in reply. "Ok! Good luck Lisa!"

"Watch your step, there are canisters filled with deadly neurotoxin near the door. I wish not to have my lab filled with deadly neurotoxin," she spoke in a nonchalant and almost robotic voice.

The young girl gave a small nod, before stepping out of the room, leaving the scientist to her game.

With that, Lisa clutched her mouse and pushed up her glasses, doing her best to hide the bags under her eyes and the tears that had begun to form due to staring at a computer screen for too long. _'I'm sorry Lana, I truly am."_

* * *

"Well, it looks like Lisa's a bit busy," Lana sighed as she stepped into her room, only to immediately perk back up. "But, that's fine… as long as I have my siblings with me, I know it'll all work out!"

She glanced at the bed she had shared her room with, above it resting the numerous photos of one so close yet so very far. _"Don't worry Lola, I'm gonna wake you up soon!"_

With that, she took a seat at her desk and pulled out a piece of paper… only for a certain frog to jump right on top. *Ribbit!*

"Oh, uhh, hi Hops, what's up?" the young girl looked to her pet in confusion. And in response, he stuck his tongue down and pulled up his bowl, before turning it to face the girl.

"Oh," she went. "You're hungry…" she paused, glancing down at the paper he was sitting on, before looking to the frog with begging eyes. "Hops… mind waiting a sec? I'm a bit busy right now…" she then leaned over the pet and grabbed a handful of pencils.

*Grumble* the frog's stomach went in reply, though ever-trusting of his owner, he jumped off, leaving Lana to her own devices. _"Now, what do I need to do?"_ she scribbled down some notes before glancing back. Aside from occasionally sleeping in her twin's bed, Lana had left her side of the room completely untouched.

Quickly, she looked away. "No Lana, she's gonna wake up and when she gets back she's gonna want everything just like she left it."

And with that, she began to work on what she hoped would be the key to her twin's survival.

23-5-12-12 20-8-9-19 9-19 1 6-9-18-19-20… 9'-22-5 14-5-22-5-18 19-5-5-14 12-1-14-1 19-1-25 14-15 20-15 6-5-5-4-9-14-7 8-5-18 16-5-20-19.

 **A/N And there we go! I hope you guys enjoyed! Now, I've gotta do my classwork before I forget. As always, feel free to PM, leave ideas and ask questions! See you guys again in a few weeks!**

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **OwlLegendary000: Lori's my favorite sister as well. I always enjoyed her big sister demeanor and how, while she can be rough, genuinely cares for her siblings.**

 **Tristen: Thanks! The trip was fun!**


	9. Preparations Begin!

**A/N And here we are! C9! A bit late, but on the right day! Man, with school and Inktober, writing just became so much harder. But I'm on top of things! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Nine: Preparations Begin!

*Ring!*

"I'll get it!" Lori stretched as she approached the door. Despite having already eaten breakfast and gotten herself ready for the day, she still found herself tiredly making her way to the front door.

*Ring!*

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" she went in frustration, before unlocking the front door and opening it up. "Hi, welcome to the Loud-" she put on a cheery smile to greet, but as her gaze fell upon her visitor, she found her voice trailing off. "Residence…"

"Uhh, hi there, Lori right?" the young girl put on a sheepish smile and raised her hand in a pseudo-wave.

The young woman's voice filled with venom as she narrowed her eyes at the girl. "What do you want, Lindsey?"

She tightened her grip on the two duffle bags she had brought with her. "Lana asked me to help her get ready for a pageant in a few months," she held out her bags. "So I decided to see if we could start practicing today."

The young woman glared at her in reply. _"She… she's really that desperate, huh?"_ before giving a small nod in reply. "All right then, I guess some practice couldn't hurt," she leaned out the door and pointed at the garage. "Lola's old practice stage is in there, she used to set it up in the front yard if you wanna use what she did."

Lindsey gave a small sigh of relief. "All right, Lori," she glanced into the home. "So uhh… where is she?"

"In her room," Lori stepped in front of her. "I'll go get her," she spoke with a stern tone. "I dunno about you, but I don't think my family would enjoy seeing you walking around her for the time being."

Lindsey rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "Yeah… makes sense," and she raised one of the two bags. "Can you make sure she puts this on? I know that it's not much her style, but if we're gonna get her ready in time, we need to make sure our practice is as close to the real deal as possible."

"Ok then," the young woman took the bag and closed the door, effectively slamming it in the face of the child. She held the duffel bag for a moment, clutching its strap tightly while making a fist with her other hand. _"Dangit…"_ she turned and made her way up the stairs, her harsh footsteps nearly threatening to break the weak bonds that held the staircase together, though thankfully they held. _"I knew that she was desperate… but asking Lindsey to help?"_ she paused, and shook her head. _"Then again… I'd do the same."_

And yet, despite the admittance, the idea of going to her twin's former rival just didn't sit well with her. But, Lana had done so. And from the injuries it seemed Lindsey had sustained, their conversation had been less than peaceful. She sighed. _"Maybe it'd just be best if I played along. This can't end too badly, right?"_ With that, she found herself stepping into her younger sister's room. "Hey Lana, you here?"

*Ugh* the child groaned in reply.

Carefully, the young woman made her way over and placed a soft hand on her sister's shoulder. "You ok Lana? You didn't come down for breakfast this morning."

*Yawn* she went in reply, before stretching afterwards. "Yeah Lori," she turned to her sister and put on a sheepish smile. "Just tired is all," though from the bags under her eyes, Lori figured that she had stayed up late doing… whatever she was.

Slowly, she moved her gaze towards the table. From what it seemed, Lana had drawn several figures of Lola in her ballet dress spinning the ribbon that she now used to tie her hair. "So… what were you up to last night?"

"Nothing important," she shook her head. "Why? What's going on, Lori?"

She replied by pulling her chair out of the desk and placing the duffel bag in her lap. "Nothing much, Lindsey just came by for practice," Lori squatted down to Lana's height. "She wants you to put this on before you go, all right?"

Lana clutched the duffel bag and gave a small nod. "Yeah, thanks Lori."

"No problem," she looked into Lana's eyes with a begging gaze, seemingly trying to urge her away from this course, but was only met by the thankful expression of her little sister. And with that, she stood up straight and turned. "Anyways, if you need my help, I'll be… doing the laundry." And with that, she stepped out of the room, though she couldn't help but think. _"This will only end badly…"_

With that, Lana took a deep breath. _"Welp Lindsey, I've planned my routine. It's just like Lola's, but that good. Now I just need your help getting ready,"_ then she opened the duffel bag and pulled out its sole content: a simple pageant gown. Unlike Lola's however, it was light blue- a color she found fit her better than her twin's pink.

" _But Lana! Blue is a boy's color!"_ Lola's voice cut across her mind, though she simply shook her head to purge the idea. After that, she stood up, grabbed her towel and made her way out of her room.

* * *

"All right, there ya go, Hops," Lincoln whispered as he placed a small bowl of food in front of the amphibian pet. "Eat up!"

*Ribbit!* the frog went with a smile, before eating up, finishing the serving almost as quickly as Lincoln had set it up for him, before giving Lincoln a soft smile.

"Haha," the boy gave a small chuckle and pet him, before lifting him up. "All right then, let's get you back to Lana. She's probably wondering where you've been. Especially after you spent the night here.

Yet, the frog shook his head in reply, before looking away.

Lincoln tilted his head in confusion. "You don't think Lana missed you?"

Hops nodded. *Ribbit!*

"Well then, do you want me to talk to her?" he raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "It's not like her to just not feed you guys. She loves taking care of you all!"

*Ribbit* the frog went in affirmation, before shaking his head.

"All right then, I'll talk to her," he went. And in reply, the frog croaked and hopped away, no doubt to return to his resting place. _"Man… maybe I should help her… she does seemed determined to…"_ he quickly shook the thought out of his head. _"No, no, Lana too valuable to risk,"_ he looked away. "Even for Lola."

And so he stepped out of his room and called out. "Hey Lana!"

In the next moment, the young girl he called out for stepped out of the bathroom. Now she found herself no longer wearing the rather clean set of overalls and light-green t-shirt, but instead an elegant pageant gown, with a sash similar to what her twin used to be.

If Lincoln didn't know better, he could've mistaken her for a certain pink girl.

Lincoln found his eyes widening in surprise, before he quickly took a step back and slammed the door behind him, before he turned and fell back against the door, sliding down and wrapping his arms around his knees immediately afterwards. _"No… no… she couldn't have,"_ he glanced up- at the photo that he had taken of himself with the twins. _"She's putting herself at risk and I… I couldn't stop her."_

* * *

Outside, Lana tilted her head in confusion. "Lincoln?"

No response.

She shrugged with that. "I guess it wasn't that important. Oh well," she steeled her gaze and grabbed the ends of her dress, before rushing down the stairs and out the door, passed her mother who could only see her blur passed. "L-Lola?"

And in the next moment she rushed outside, ready for whatever Lindsey had in store for her. _"Now where is she?"_ she slowly moved her gaze across the front lawn, searching for the girl. The practice stage had already been set up, and yet Lindsey was no where in sight.

"Ambush!" A voice cried out, before the patio cover shook slightly.

The blond girl could only look up as her young companion pounced upon her, easily pinning her to the ground. "Gotcha!"

"Lindsey!" the plumber cried out. "What the heck was that for?!", before turning and shoving the auburn girl off of her.

"Sorry about that," she quickly rushed to her feet and dusted herself off. "I was just trying to teach you the first rule of pageantry: be prepared for anything."

"What do you mean?" Lana raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

She stepped over and offered her hand to the blond, who promptly took it. "Lana, if we're gonna get you ready in time for the regional tournament, you have to know the rules of being a pageant star… Lola never told you this stuff, did she?"

Lana shook her head in reply. "No… not really," she rubbed her arm awkwardly. "She only said that it was a tough life and that it was really cut throat and stuff… like if you aren't ready for a fight, don't enter the cage and things like that."

"That's a pretty good description," Lindsey gave a small shrug, before placing her hands on her hips. "But, I don't think you understand what she really meant by that. Come over," she motioned for Lana to follow her, and the girl complied. "You see this?"

Lana tilted her head in confusion. "Lola's old training stage? What about it?"

"Did she ever mention what she'd done to this?" Lindsey hit the stage top, before squatting down and picking up a pebble.

"Nope," she shook her head in reply.

With that, the auburn girl tossed the rock onto what seemed to be a loose panel, only for said panel to recoil slightly, before releasing, sending the rock flying in the air and revealing the rather oversized spring that had been hidden underneath it.

"Whoa…" Lana's eyes went wide in surprise. "D-do we have to deal with that at the contest?"

"Yeah," Lindsey began to speak in a solemn voice. "Lana, I know waking up Lola is important to you- trust me, I know. But if you go through with this, I can't promise that you're gonna get through this unharmed," she pat the stage. "This spring is similar to one I made a long time ago, and other girls have no doubt made more complicated things than I ever could."

" _So this is why Lincoln didn't wanna train me…"_ Lana's thoughts trailed off as she looked down in contemplation.

"Lana, I know this'll be hard, but please, are you sure?" Lindsey placed a comforting hand on her companion's shoulder.

And in response, Lana clutched her fists. _"But, no matter what, Lola's worth it. She'd do the same for me, right? So I have no excuse to chicken out of this. I will win and I will wake her up!"_ she looked up, her eyes filled with determination. "Yeah, I'm sure. Lola's worth it. She's my twin, and I want to get her back."

The auburn girl gave a nod in reply. "Ok then, let's get to work. Did you come up with ideas for your talent portion act?"

"Yeah," she answered. "I was thinking of doing a ribbon act just like Lola did," she then pulled out the paper she had stayed up late drawing. "If I'm gonna win for Lola, I have to win just like her, right?"

"That sounds doable," Lindsey stepped over to the remaining duffel bag and began to rummage through it. "I used to watch how Lola did her dances in order to see how I could one-up her. Aside from the acting part, most pageantry is just training to answer questions and how to show off."

"So where do we start?" Lana finally asked.

And in reply, Lindsey pulled out a book. "Simple, with how to stand up properly."

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Back upstairs, Lincoln found himself with his face buried in his knees. _"I… I couldn't stop her. Me telling her no wasn't enough… she's… she's prepping for a pageant even though I'm not the one getting her ready!"_ he looked up slightly. _"I… I don't know what to do now. What if she gets hurt? What if she ends up like Lola?!"_ With that thought he found himself standing up. His heart began to race at the thought- the image of Lola's mangled body flashing across his psyche as he did so. _"I… can't let that happen, but how can I stop her?"_

He turned and stepped out of his room. "L-Lori!" he cried out.

No response.

" _I… I need to find Lori. She'd know what to do now, she always does!"_ He stepped forward, his heart yearning to find his eldest sister, yet could only take a step before a sound filled her ears.

*Pop!*

The white-haired boy immediately turned towards the source, his older sister Lynn, laying on her bed as she played with a ball, simply tossing it up and catching it.

Slowly, he stepped inside. "Hey Lynn."

The young woman caught the ball and looked up, smiling as her gaze fell upon her brother. "Hey Link, what's up?"

With that, he grabbed his arm. "Lynn, mind if I talk to you for a bit?"

"You already are, bro," she pulled herself up and swung her feet off the bed, patting the spot as she did so. "Space's all yours, Link."

Carefully, he took a seat next to her, before grabbing the bed lining, his mind rushing to choose the right words.

"So, what's up?" she nudged him. "Girl problems again? Want advice on how to confess to Stella?"

"I'm worried about Lana."

Immediately the young woman failed to catch her ball, causing it to bounce away, though Lincoln didn't notice.

"I… I just saw her in a pageant gown," he continued, clutching the bed tighter. "I… I think she's going try and go into pageantry like Lola did! I tried to stop her by refusing to train her but, but it looks like she's gonna go at it anyway! She's gonna get hurt and-"

"I don't know what to do either."

Lincoln immediately turned to her. "L-Lynn?"

She looked away and shook her head. "When the twins were born I promised that I would protect them, b-but when Lola needed me the most, I wasn't there!" she flared her arms, before turning away. "And now look at her…"

And all Lincoln could do in reply, was look away as well, his silence agreeing with what she was saying.

* * *

"All right, keep that pose," Lindsey ordered, while Lana did her best to balance the set of books on her head. "A proper pageant queen has to know how to keep her head up straight and ready for the audience. Slouching makes you look lazy!"

" _Right, gotta keep at it. I can do this, for Lola, I can do it!"_ Lana held her arms out, her body desperately trying to stay upright and balance the books.

"Hold it… hold it…" Lindsey whispered as she continued to rummage through her duffel bag. "You can do it Lana, you've almost finished!" then, she pulled out a carton of a dozen eggs, and pulled out one, wasting no time lobbing it at the books, causing them to fall over, and Lana to lose her balance.

"Dangit."

Lindsey offered her hand, and Lana took it. "Remember Lana, you've gotta be ready for anything."

"Even eggs?"

"Especially eggs," Lindsey shivered. "Except, they won't be aiming at the books, they'll be aiming at your dress. They want to mess it up so you walk around in a stained dress. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to keep those things clean."

" _You're the worst sister ever!"_ the thought crossed Lana's mind. "I might know…"

"Anyways, that's enough for now, now we have to have a break, for a bit," Lindsey rubbed her chin. "But what should I teach?"

"I dunno, but I'm gonna get ready to get out of this thing," Lana tugged at her collar. "How the heck do you girls stay in these for so long? I feel like I'm about to sweat up a storm!"

'The trick is to just not move much," the auburn girl explained. "The more you move, the hotter you get," she rubbed her chin. "But, that does give me an idea," with that, she began to rummage through the bag.

* * *

At this point, it had been over a month since the accident that had rendered Lola comatose. And ever since that day, Rita Loud had found herself buried in her books.

Now, being an aspiring novelist, this wasn't new to her. She loved spending her days writing away on the computer or in her room in one of the many notebooks that she had acquired over the years.

And yet, she wasn't writing. She was studying.

Before the accident, she wanted to become a dentist. Not out of complete desire to join the field, though there was some in that category. Rather, she simply asked Lynn Sr. one day "why worry about dental insurance when you can just work on your children's teeth yourself?"

And yet, she now found herself reading through a book on neurology- the first of many this week and one of the ones she borrowed from the local library. Her desire to change coming as suddenly as the news that a poorly-constructed chandelier had fallen on her daughter.

" _Am I going crazy or did I just see Lola again?"_ she leaned up a bit and glanced out the window, only to shake her head and raise her book once more. _"No, no, it's nothing. I'm just seeing things,"_ before she read aloud. "Sometimes, the mind may begin to perceive of the world differently in order to cope with events occurring around it. For example… seeing the face of a loved one that is deceased. Some scientists theorize that this is why final rites are so important to humans, as it allows people be given closure."

With that, she paused, before closing the textbook and tucking it under her arm, and standing up as she did so. With that, she found herself making her way towards the window and staring out.

"Haha!" The laughter of children rung in her ears.

For a moment, she found herself back on a warm summer morning, watching as her twins ran around the yard, the one clad in pink firing a super soaker at the muddy one, seemingly in an attempt to clean her off.

Her chest ached.

In the next moment, she watched as her pink twin pounced upon the blue one, sending them rolling on the grass, laughing all the way.

Suddenly, Rita found herself bolting for the door, her mind racing with the hope that the events of the passed month had only been a dream- so real and yet, only a figment of the imagination.

"L-Lola?!" she called out as she opened up, only to be greeted by the cold breeze of reality. Rather than the two twins she had spent years raising, her only one was running along, with a smirk on her face while a similar-looking auburn-haired girl chased after her.

"You can do it Lana! You're doing great!" Lindsey shouted. "Remember, no one likes a soggy dress! Keep dodging! I'll run out of water eventually!"

Rita paused, before she quickly adjusted her clothing. "H-hello kids! How are you doing?"

Immediately the duo stopped and turned, with Lana replying. "Oh, nothing much! Just uhh… hanging out with Lindsey and stuff."

"Right, Lindsey," Rita held her hands together in front of her, doing her best to hide her discomfort. Due to her rivalry with Lola, she had seem Lindsey pay the Loud residence visits many times before. And for the most part those were done in order to try and discourage Lola before their matches.

And yet, here she was, trying to blast Lana with a water canon while the former was dressed up as her twin, albeit with a blue gown rather than pink. Seemingly behaving as if nothing had happened- though from the slight injuries she could see, something probably did.

"So, uhh, what are you two up to?" she continued, unease filling her voice.

Lana paused, giving a wide smile as she did so. "Oh nothing much, mom," she motioned to her companion. "Lindsey's just helping me practice for a… a pageant and stuff."

"Oh, you're gonna try and enter a pageant?" The woman continued.

"Yep," Lana put on a sheepish smile.

Rita held her hands tighter together. "Well, then, have fun. If you need me, I'll be inside studying. I've gotta prepare for the upcoming neurology exam," with that, she turned and hurried inside, leaving the two girl to dust themselves off.

"All righty then, break time's over," the auburn girl turned to her friend. "Now you know what to do when someone tries to make you look too prim and proper," she rubbed the back of her head. "Like, everyone knows the goal of the contest is to be prim and proper and stuff, but you need to know when to have fun. Judges love that! So if given the chance, take it. You won't regret it!"

"Thanks Lindsey," Lana spoke with a hint of concern, before she began to step towards the house. "Mind waiting a bit?"

"Uhh, sure," Lindsey tilted her head in confusion.

"To the bathroom," she quickly replied. "Don't know about you, but dealing with all that water makes me wanna use it."

She shrugged in reply. "All right. Just be quick, when you get back, I'm gonna start teaching you how to show off."

Lana nodded. And with that she stepped into her home and found her mother laying on the couch, her book now resting in her lap. "Hey mom?"

She looked up. "Oh, hi Lana. Are you done practicing already?"

"No," the young girl shook her head. "I just…" she stepped over to her. "Are you ok mom?"

Rita softened her gaze and ran her hand through her daughter's hair. "Yeah, I'm fine Lana. I'm just stressing because of the exams and the like."

Yet, the young girl simply looked on in concern. "Are you… ok with Lindsey teaching me how to do pageants?"

The woman gave a small nod in reply. "Yes dear… just… please be safe, ok?"

"Will do mom," she gave her mother a small hug, before breaking off and heading upstairs, leaving Rita to simply shake her head.

" _She's too hopeful,"_ with that, she returned to the book, though found that she just couldn't focus on it anymore.

* * *

" _Mom's acting weird,"_ Lana though as she made her way up the stairs. _"But, who can blame her I guess? Last month Lindsey was trying to put sleeping pills in Lola's lunch so she'd fall asleep during the pageant and now she's teaching me…"_

She looked aside. _"But… why do I have a feeling that's not it? Like there's more to it than just that?"_

"I don't know what to do either, Lincoln!" Lynn's voice filled the air, as the sound her whimpers followed soon after.

Slowly, Lana found herself glancing inside, her mind focused on finding out just what her siblings were up to.

Inside, she found Lincoln patting Lynn's back, as she continued. "I wanted to protect her Lincoln, I really did, but all that happened was her getting hurt!"

"It's not your fault…" he whispered.

"Yes it is!" she clutched him tighter. "I should've seen the signs, I should've been there!"

"If anything… it's my fault for training her," he slowly pushed her forward and looked into her eyes. "But… now we have to protect her, and how are we gonna do that?"

Lynn looked aside. "I don't know.

With that, Lana found herself turning away and glancing into the other rooms. From what she could see, Leni was working diligently on what appeared to be a new pageant gown- no doubt for the contest in just a few months, while across Luna and Luan were working on the acts they held so dear. Lisa was at her computer, playing what appeared to be the same game once more, except with two characters while Lily watched her in curiosity.

And they all seemed stuck in their own little worlds.

" _They… they're worried about Lola and me. They don't wanna do anything that could hurt either of us,"_ she clutched her chest. _"They want to wake up Lola too… maybe they all deserve to help … Lindsey did say that I could use all the help I could get if I wanted to get ready in time…"_

With that, she headed back. " _And then, when Lola's finally back, everything will go back to normal!"_ Her mind jumped back to that summer, where they made jokes and silly faces, before she returned outside and continued to practice.

14-5-24-20 23-5-5-11 15-14 12-1-14-1-'19 10-15-21-18-14-5-25: 2-1-3-11 20-15 19-3-8-15-15-12!

 **A/N And there we go! C9 is here! A few hours late, but that's all right! I hope you guys enjoyed! As always, R &R! Also, I apologize for not replying to reviews lately, I've been very busy with school. I'll try to reply this week though! As always, feel free to PM and send in ideas!**


	10. School Life Blues

**A/N Hey guys! Here's C10, and on time too! I apologize for the lack of review replies, but I've just been so busy with class that I couldn't find the time. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter! It looks like I'll be back on schedule for the coming months!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Ten: School Life Blues

For the Louds, school was just another constant in life. No matter how hard they tried to get away from it they would always find themselves back in class, sitting at their desk as their teacher droned on about whatever topic filled the day.

And so, true to their name, the Loud Children would always make themselves known, filling their classes with the same energy that filled their home.

Yet, Lana found herself sitting by quietly, with her elbow rested firmly upon her desk as her teacher droned on about whatever topic a first-grade instructor would even attempt to try explaining to a group of fix and six-year-olds.

"All right class, today we're going to go over how to add numbers!"

" _Cool, adding! Great, I can't wait to learn how to add. It's not like Lisa taught me that last week,"_ Lana rolled her eyes at the idea, before glancing out the window. _"Lola would probably enjoy this more. She'd probably try to figure out how many competitors she'd have to beat before she could move on…"_

"Now then, who can tell me what one plus one equals?"

Lana's gaze faltered slightly, her eyes looking to the side. _"One… because without Lola, that's all I am,"_ her mind began to jump to random thoughts once again, though before she could focus on one, her classmate nudged her. "Hey Lana?"

"Huh," she quickly turned in surprise.

"Do you know when Lola's gonna come back?" his voice filled with concern. "It's been months and I'm starting to miss her…"

The young plumber shook her head. "I wish I knew too…" before she looked away, deciding to refocus on her teacher, though she didn't bother actually listening.

And so, the young boy took a breath and sighed, before pulling out a pencil and scribbling down the teacher's notes. "I wish she'd come back… things just aren't the same without her…"

" _You and me both pal. You and me both."_

* * *

A few moments later, a bell rang out, signaling the start of the daily one-hour lunch break. Of course, being a first grader, Lana would enjoy the time out of class to visit her siblings, friends and locker. Though, given the present circumstance, she found herself not finding much time to do the former two.

She held her bag tightly, as to not allow it to be pulled off and lost in the storm that was the transition period where everyone rushed to the lunchroom. _"Easy does it now… just gotta ease into it,"_ she took a breath and approached her locker.

"Hey pipsqueak!" a gruff, feminine voice called out.

" _Just ignore her, Lana. Don't say anything and she'll go away,"_ Lana remained silent, choosing instead to unlock the metal container and begin to shove her books inside.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Sasha commanded, before grabbing Lana by the scruff of the neck and forcing her to turn and face her, revealing a young girl, much like the plumber, except larger. The girl stood about a head taller than her with short blonde hair and wore what appeared to be a designer shirt and matching skirt.

Lana grit her teeth and growled in reply. "What do you want, Sasha?"

*Slam!* the sound rang through the plumber's ears as her bully shoved her against the locker next to her own. "I'm looking for your sister still. I still owe her payback for the last time I saw her," she shoved Lana again, causing the girl to fall back and onto her butt, allowing Sasha to tower over her. "Where is she?"

"She's not here," Lana weakly replied, glancing up for a short moment, only for the older girl to grab her by her collar and lifted her up slightly.

"Oh?" she shoved her against the locker again. "Well then, any news about when she'll be back?"

The younger girl grit her teeth in response, choosing to hold a defiant expression.

"Cat got your tongue huh? Oh well, I don't care much," she then raised her fist. "I just want your lunch money then. That way-"

"Hey! Leave my friend alone!" A familiar voice cried out, before a certain auburn-haired girl sent a foot into the bully's abdomen, knocking the wind from her and forcing her to release the plumber. With that, she tucked and rolled, grabbing Lana and helping her to her feet.

"Grr. What's the big idea?!" The bully held the spot that had been hit and turned towards her assailant, only for the girl to send a fist into her face, forcing her down once again. "No one messes with Lana on my watch!"

In that moment, Lana found her eyes going wide as Lindsey's hair loosened up and turned a shade of bright yellow and her dress took on a pink hue. The young girl took a solid stance, before jumping at the bully once more.

* * *

"No one messed with Lana except for me!" Lola sent her fist into Sasha once more, causing the older girl to double over in pain, rolling on the fall immediately after. "I hope you learned your lesson! No one messes with the Louds!" With that, she dusted her hands off. For moment, she considered placing a foot on her back like in those Saturday morning cartoons she watched with Lana, but decided against it. Rather, she slowly stepped over and offered her twin a hand. "You ok, Lana?"

For a moment, the plumber looked at the princess' hand, and reached out for it, only to recoil, tucking her legs into her chest. "I'm sorry Lola…"

The young girl tilted her head in confusion. "What for?"

"I always get in trouble and you have to come bail me out!" she crossed her arms and looked away, shame filling her voice. "I just wish that I could defend myself…"

Lola's gaze softened upon her sister, before she took a seat at her side and wrapped her arms around her. "Lana, I don't care that I have to protect you, because you're my sister, you're a part of me and I'm a part of you," she then moved her hand up, taking hold of her twin's chin, before turning it to face her. "I love you Lana, and I always will. I promise."

"And I promise to be there for you too…"

* * *

*Heh* *Hah* Lindsey panted in exhaustion, before she took off her right glove and wiped the beads of sweat that had formed under her brow. "Man, I didn't expect to need to put so much into punching her," Before she shook her now aching hand. "Hey Lana?"

No reply. Instead, the plumber just stood by, seemingly gazing off into who-knows where. She stepped over and placed a hand on her shoulder, before shaking her rather violently. "Hey Lana! You in there?!"

"Huh?!" she stammered, her eyes going wide in shock. "What the- Lindsey! Please stop!"

Immediately, the pageant girl let go of her companion and tilted her head in confusion. "You all right? You zoned out of me."

For a moment, Lana found herself glancing from side to side, searching for a young girl with long blonde hair, clad in pink. And yet, only found herself met by another, though with auburn hair and a green dress. "Oh… yeah," she rubbed the back of her awkwardly. "Sorry about that… it's been happening a lot lately.

Lindsey nodded. "All right then," she motioned towards the groaning body of her bully, "Well, you're safe now," she chuckled. "Sasha's gonna need a few minutes to get back up now."

"Wow…" she rubbed her arm while her voice waned. "T-thanks Lindsey."

"No problem, Lana," Lindsey glanced at her defeated adversary, making certain that she wouldn't have to continue to onslaught. "You all right? It looked like she shoved you against that locker pretty hard."

Truth be told, her back did her quite a bit. Though the pain had already begun to numb out a bit. "Yeah, I'm fine. A bit hurt from that, but I think I'll be all right," she gave Lindsey a sincere gaze. "Thanks. If it weren't for you, she would've taken my lunch money… again."

Lindsey sighed. "She sees you as an easy target," she shook her head and put her hands on her hips. "Don't know why though. You're more than capable of defending yourself."

She chose not to reply, simply looking away.

With that, the auburn girl took her arm and pulled. "Welp, anyways, lets go and get lunch before a teacher comes by. I don't want people to start asking questions."

And wordlessly, Lana let herself get pulled along.

A few minutes later, the duo found themselves sitting in the lunchroom, getting what they were told was 'personal pan pizza' though it tasted more like glue with ketchup on top.

"All right Lana, since you're gonna be competing you need to remember to stay calm, this is going to be the first time you've performed in front of a large audience, right?" Lindsey immediately cut to the chase.

"Well… there was one other time…" she rubbed the back of her head. _"But I only did that because Lincoln was helping me out. I don't even think it was that big of a contest…"_

"All right then, that means I don't need to explain too much on that end," with that, she guided Lana through the lunchroom, wasting no time sitting her down at one of the tables alongside what appeared to be other pageant girls- brunette and black haired ones dressed in gowns similar to Lindsey's.

"Hey! Uhh… Lindsey, who's she?" The brown-haired one spoke up.

"Yeah! Isn't she Lola's twin and the queen of gross stuff?" the other added. "Why's she sitting with us?!"

Yet, Lindsey motioned them down with her hands. "Calm down you two," she wrapped an arm around Lana. "I'm helping her prep for regionals, and you two know how much planning you need to go there."

On of the duo raised an eyebrow. "Uhh, why? Should she, ya know, go to that farm she keeps telling everyone her sister's spending time on, and ask her for help? Besides, aren't they both your rivals?!"

" _Well I wouldn't need to ask Lindsey for help if Lola were awake... because I wouldn't need to win to wake her up,"_ Lana looked away, only for Lindsey to continue.

"Hey, she asked for my help, so I'm gonna help her," she then pointed at her two friends. "I don't really care if you wanna help her too, but she's going to be sitting with us until after regionals. So are you gonna complain or help out too?"

The two girls turned to each other and both shrugged, with the brunette one replying. "Sure I guess."

The black-haired one adding. "I don't like dealing with more competition, but if Lindsey's willing to help you out, then she must be serious about this."

" _We both are. This might be the only way to wake up my twin,"_ Lana nodded in reply. "She is and I am."

With that, the two girls leaned forward, while Lindsey pulled out and opened up a small notebook, revealing a page labeled "Lana". "All right, this is just a to-do list for the time being. We need to stay on top of everything that needs to be done and then you might be ready by December."

"Got it," she nodded. "What else should-"

"Hey Lana," a familiar voice spoke up, causing the four girls to turn towards the source: a certain young boy in a green cap and with brown hair. "What's goin' on here?"

"Nothing much," Lana replied. "Just sittin' here today and stuff." While she thought. _"And trying to prep for a pageant to save my twin."_

"Ahh… so you're sitting with them now?" he tilted his head in confusion. "Didn't you say that they were too girl for your taste or something?"

"Nah," she played it off. "I'm really girly too, deep down…" she tried to hide her voice trailing off, by quickly adding. "Just uhh, I'm busy with stuff and other stuff!"

"Oh…" Skippy rubbed the back of his head. "Well, ok then I guess," he gave a small shrug. "I was thinking that, well, if you weren't too busy, that we could hang out tomorrow or something," he rubbed the back of his head. "Ya know, since its fall and the mud puddles are gonna start freezing up soon!"

"Hmm, well, I…" Lana started, only for the nervous glares of Lindsey and her two friends to appear out of the corner of her eye. She held the note. _"Lana, a proper lady doesn't play in the mud! Though we will use it to clean ourselves after it is sterilized,"_ before she quickly glanced away and shook her head. "I'm sorry Skippy… but I'd rather not."

The boy pouted. "Aww, well how about-"

Yet, before he could finish, Lindsey placed a hand protectively on Lana's back. "Actually, she's planning on entering a big pageant soon, and so I don't think it'd be a good idea to do that either."

Whatever hope he had slowly began to dim. "Oh… well ok then. If you wanna hang out later then, just call. You know where to find me!"

"Got it!" Lana went, regret filling her voice, though she put on a sheepish smile. _"I can't believe I just… said no to my crush!"_ she looked away. _"But… Lola's more important,"_ dread beginning to overtake her. _"She's more important. I… I can spend time with Skippy later…"_

With that, Skippy stepped away from the table, leaving the plumber alone with the other pageant girls.

Lindsey thought for a moment, her serious expression softening as she turned to the blonde girl. She placed a comforting hand on her back. "Hey, Lana, I know that you love mud and gross stuff, trust me, I do," she looked into her eyes with a reassuring smile. "But, if you're gonna become a pageant queen, you've gotta learn that, well, you're gonna need to be prim and proper no matter what," she glanced away. "This is a lifestyle as much as a competition…"

She gave a nod in acknowledgment, before standing up. "I'm gonna… head outside. Let's keep talking about this stuff there."

Lindsey nodded. "All right then, see ya there!"

And with that, Lana found herself stepping out of the lunchroom, her hands buried in her pockets as she stepped along. Thankfully, the hallways were clear for the most part, with only a few students presently going through their lockers in the relative piece of lunch hour. _"I can't believe I did that… Skippy's my friend… I like him, but I didn't jump at the chance to hang out…"_ she shook her head. _"It'll all be worth it though, right?"_

The young girl took a breath with that, as a familiar voice filled her mind once more. _"Come on Lana! Dressing up is fun! So what if you think it looks like a sparkly towel!"_

"Lisa! Get off that computer!" a woman's voice cut through her thoughts, causing her to turn towards the source: the kindergarten classroom.

"How did you even manage to sneak that in here?!" the teacher continued. "That thing looks like you would've needed like three people to carry it!"

"I have my ways!" Lisa countered, prompting Lana to glance inside, only to find the class of kindergarteners all laying down for naptime, while Lisa had somehow managed to set up a computer desktop in the corner while having booted up her game… again.

"It's naptime Lisa, and I've had to confiscate so much of your equipment that I'm starting to run out of places to store them!" Ms. Shrinivas flared her arms, trying to emphasize her point. Yet, Lisa continued playing on her computer, simply countering.

"Come on though, please let me finish this level! The Xen must not be allowed to succeed! I must get Gordon Freeman through this facility after the resonance cascade opened the portal!"

The teacher blinked twice, trying to wrap her head around that sentence, only to pinch the bridge of her nose while holding her shoulder with her other hand.

"Lisa?" Lana went, sticking her head through the open door. "What's going on?"

"Not now, Lana!" Lisa didn't bother turning around. "I've almost gotten through the-"

Yet, before she could finish the sentence, the teacher grabbed the computer's tower and pulled, severing all of the connections linking the tower to the monitor and power supplies, before turning to the blonde. "Lana! Talk to your sister! She's starting to get on my nerves!" With that, she dropped the tower and grabbed the girl, pulling her towards the younger girl.

Lana glanced at her little sister, who simply replied by playing the game on her smart watch. "Uhh, ok Ms. Shrinivas."

With that, Lisa quietly followed along, not bothering to pay mind to her sister.

* * *

In the next moment, the duo was walking the hallway in silence.

" _What's going on with her?_ " Lana held her hands behind her head and glanced at the scientist. "Lisa?"

"Yes, sister unit?" she answered, her voice flat.

"What game are you playing'?"

"It's called Half-Life," she kept her eyes on the watch. "I am currently fighting marines in an attempt to escape this laboratory."

*Step* *Step* *Step*

" _Well this is going nowhere…"_ she looked down, before turning back to her sister. "Well, uhh, how's the progress on that cure for Lola thing?"

Silence. Lisa immediately paused her game. It was as if of all the things that could force her into quitting, that question was all that was required to do so. She slowly looked up, her gaze softening ever so slightly- as if she wanted to say more than she would, but she just couldn't let the words go.

"I believe my progress has been satisfactory."

" _Satisfactory…"_ the word rang in her mind. _"Lisa never says her projects are satisfactory… she always says 'great' or 'going well'… could she really be having that much trouble?"_ she continued her voice waning at the thought. "Do you, uhh, know when it'll be done, whatever it is?" her voice filled with a begging hope.

"No. As it stands, my progress has been inconsistent," her seemingly indifferent tone began to wane. Though it remained rather flat it seemed to hide a defeated heat. "I have yet to achieve a breakthrough in terms of the goal at hand."

"Oh…" Lana hesitated. "Lisa… if you're having so much trouble, why are you playing videogames?" her curiosity was peaked. "Didn't you used to say that they're only good for wasting time or something?"

The scientist paused, taken aback by the sudden question, only to immediately recompose herself. "I believed that, that was the case. However, I now see that they are much more. Through such a simple thing as a screen I can see into distant worlds with the adventures and…" her voice trailed off with that.

"Huh, Lisa?" Lana raised an eyebrow, only for her little sister to pull off her watch and shove it into her sister's hands. "I believe that I must return to class. Please hold onto this, I wish for its safe return later."

With that, she scurried off, leaving Lana to stand by in confusion. "What just happened?"

"I think you struck a nerve with Lisa," Lucy suddenly appeared at the blonde's side.

"G'ahh! Lucy!" Lana jumped back in surprise, though the black-haired girl paid it no mind. "She's been working hard, but from what I've seen, no dice."

The plumber looked away. "Right, you spy on us from the vents…" she paused. "Did you find out if the spirits could help me if I traded my soul to wake her up?"

Lucy shook her head. "No. All the spirits can do right now is try to talk to her, nothing more," she rubbed her arm. "As for your second question… a deal like that would require dark magic and that she be dead. And I'm sure that you wish not for that, right?"

"Of course no…" Lana's voice trailed off. "So… you know what I'm planning?"

She nodded in reply. "Yes, and I want to help you."

Lana's eyes went wide in surprise. "Y-you do?!"

She nodded, determination filling her voice. "I'm willing to, because one of the hardest things I've ever had to do is get up on stage and perform. I think my experience may be useful in prepping you," she looked aside. "And I too want Lola to return."

The younger girl's face lit up; the idea of getting more help causing hope to rush through her veins and a smile to appear on her face. "Oh thank you Luc! Thank you!" she threw her arms around her, pulling the Gothic girl into a soft embrace.

With that, the duo broke up, allowing Lucy to reply. "No problem," before she disappeared just as abruptly as she had arrived.

With that, Lana took a breath and gave a small nod. _"Everything looks like it's coming together. I've got Lindsey, Lori, Leni and now Lucy behind me,"_ with that, she sprinted ahead, ready for what was to come next.

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

A moment passed by as a certain white-haired by leaned back against one of the playground benches, his gaze jumping from child to child. In a few minutes he would stand up to spend time with some of his friends. But for this moment, he simply say by, waiting for a certain young girl to appear.

"Hi Lucy."

"Sigh, I can never get the drop on you, Lincoln," she appeared at his side.

"You're still too loud," he shook his head. "So how's Lana doing now?"

"You were right. From the looks of it, she's really going to go through with the pageant idea," the Goth child's voice filled with concern. "She even decided to not play in the mud with Skippy!"

For a moment, Lincoln looked down, unsure of just how to respond to revelation.

"Lincoln, I offered to help her, and she accepted," Liucy continued.

"Well, hey, that's something," the boy sighed in reply.

"What're you planning to do?" she asked. "I mean, I can sense the worry in your body."

Lincoln sighed and shook his head in reply. "Right now, I just wanna make sure Lana's safe."

"I still think that it would be a good idea to help her. She may have Sweetwater training her, but you're the one that got Lola to regionals," Lucy's voice softened, filling with a heat of sincerity. "The spirits say you should do it too."

Yet, Lincoln shook his head. "Lucy, no, I can't. I just can't," he stood up and made his way towards the courtyard. "Why don't you check on Lisa? She could always use someone to talk to."

" _I tried, she was too busy with her game to notice me… again,"_ she too stepped forward with that, before disappearing once again.

7-1-13-5-18 12-9-19-1 22-19. 7-1-13-5-18 12-9-14-3-15-12-14 1-14-4 7-1-13-5-18 18-9-20-1 23-8-15 23-9-14-19?

 **A/N And there we go! C10 is in the bag! I'm doing my best to get back on schedule. But of course, school has other plans. Have a great weekend guys! In the meantime, I'll be pushing this story along better now. As always, feel free to suggest ideas and the like!**

 **Guest Reviews (C9):**

 **Tristen: Thanks!**

 **Guest: That's part of the story!**


	11. Promises We Make

**A/N And here we are! Chapter 11 is here, a week late but still here! This chapter is a bit shorter, but hey, it's meant to finally get Lana to realize something important. I hope you guys enjoy! I thank LoudAutomata16 for his suggestion of this chapter!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Eleven: Promises We Make

"Haha!" The soft sounds of laughter filled the warm summer air as young children simply played, running through the park grounds as the younger chased after the older. "Come on you two! You've gotta try harder than that to catch me!" The older child had long, brown hair made up in soft curls and wore a red shirt and shorts, while her young sisters- twins, both had blonde hair grown long, though one had a blue shirt and pants, while the other had a pink shirt and skirt.

"We're trying!" Lana shouted, her voice raspy from the effort she had to put herself through to keep up with her older sister.

"Why don't you slow down?!" Lola followed, holding onto her slightly older twin in an attempt to keep pace, though of course, this proved to be for naught.

Lynn let out a soft chuckle as she turned back to them, raising her finger as she did so. "You two are young! That means that you have to get all the exercise you can, before you're too old to get some!"

"But please!" the blue-clad girl went. "*Huff* I can't…" with that, her twin tripped on a rock, causing her to fall to the ground as well. The duo slid for a moment, before stopping and letting go of each other.

"You can't what?" Lynn slowly turned back, blissfully unaware of what had just befallen her sisters. And upon seeing them, her eyes went wide.

*Sniffle* soft cries soon filled the air as the duo rolled back onto their butts, before sitting up. At this point, they were only slightly scratched up, though to a child these scratches were more than enough to cause them to whimper.

Slowly, Lynn approached, squatting down to their height as she did so. "Are you two all right?"

Lola glared at Lynn, while Lana recoiled, choosing to try to hide the cuts on her arms.

The young athlete's gaze softened with that, prompting her to give a soft sigh. "I'm not gonna hurt you two."

"Then why didn't you slow down?!" the pink-clad girl spit out, anger filling her voice, while her twin remained silent, choosing instead to simply look away rather than try and answer.

Lynn looked away guiltily. _"Right… just because I run around like crazy doesn't mean they do or can too…"_ slowly she leaned forward, and wrapped her hands around them. Though Lola tried to fight for a moment, she eventually let her sister's heat envelop her, while her older sister continued. "Because I wanna make sure you two grow up to be big and strong like me," her voice was filled with a motherly heat, as she pushed them back slightly, placing soft kisses upon their foreheads.

"Lynn, we know you mean well, but we can't run like you…" Lana spoke in a soft, meek voice. "You're the fastest of us all!"

The young woman nodded. "I know…" she pulled them close once more. "I'm sorry for pushing you so hard. You know I love you two, and always will."

For a moment, the three sisters stood there, simply taking in the heat of the others, before Lola took a breath and returned the hug, while Lana's gaze softened, though she choose to simply lean in closer rather than try and join in the embrace. With that, the young girl carried the twins through the park, passed the legions of children running and playing, enjoying the calm summer day, before she stopped at the base of a small oak tree.

She carefully placed her sisters down and took a knee before them, reaching into her pocket and pulling out a small box of Band-Aids and pads of alcohol. "Now, lets see those cuts."

Slowly, the twins complied, outstretching their arms for their sister to look over. It took her a minute to wipe them clean and apply the covers, but when she finished, she turned and took a seat between them, wrapping them in her arms after she did so. "I love you two."

For a moment, the twins remained silent, before both hugging her in reply. "We love you too."

The trio sat like that afterwards, simply enjoying each other's company in the soft shade of the oak tree, before Lynn slowly opened her eyes and rubbed the twins' backs. "Hey guys…"

"Yeah?" Lana looked up in confusion, while Lola didn't respond.

Slowly, the older girl pushed her sisters off and grabbed a nearby rock. "I promise to always protect you two. No matter what?" she hugged them once more, before grinding the stone against the tree, creating a small heart with the letter L repeated three times.

And in response, the younger girls threw their arms around her, pulling her into a soft, warm, and loving embrace. "We'll always love you, Lynn!"

 _ **Back In The Present…**_

" _And just like that, another school day's done,"_ Lana's gaze focused up and her hands buried in her pockets as she found herself stepping out of the to the rather small size of Royal Woods, it wasn't uncommon to see children simply walk home on their own. For Lana though, she usually found herself waiting right outside for Lori to come by and pick her up or for Lincoln, Lucy, Lola and Lisa to come by so they could walk home together.

But today was different.

" _Man… what a day,"_ she took a soft breath. _"First Lindsey introducing me to my new lunch table mates, and then me… saying no to Skippy,"_ she could feel a pang in her chest at the thought. _"He probably thinks I hate him or something… I ditched him when he came by to check on me, and now I said no to hanging out with him…"_ she looked to the side. _"Well… at least Lindsey said it was fine. If I'm gonna win that regional tournament, I'm gonna need to be the best of the best…"_ her thoughts trailed off for a moment. _"Even if I'll never be as perfect as…"_ the image of a certain blonde girl flashed across her mind. _"Her…"_

She shook her head and continued onwards. _"And what the heck is going on with Lisa? It's not like her to just… play games in class. Heck, this is the first time I've seen her play videogames in general!"_ she pulled out the watch her little sister had shoved in her hands. _"And why'd she give me this?"_ she sighed. _"Well, at least when I get home, I can start practicing more. That'll be fine, right? I can come up with ideas for my acts and Lucy, Lori and Leni can help me out with clothes and stuff."_

With that in mind, she faced the ground and turned down another block. She stepped in silence, trying to put together the ideas she had and explain them to herself, but to no avail.

"Oof!" She went as she stumbled back, falling on her butt immediately after. "What the?" she looked up, allowing the image of a student to come into view. "Hey, watch where you're going!" she slowly focused her gaze, allowing the realization to hit her. "Oh, hi Lynn, what's up?"

"Huh?" the young woman turned around, her eyes widening at just who had bumped into her. She paused slightly, before answering in a rather monotone voice. "Oh, hi Lana. I'm just waiting for practice to start!" she put on a sheepish smile. "Sorry for not noticing you!" she stepped aside. "Why don't you head home?"

The young plumber's gaze softened slightly. "I was…" she looked away for a moment, before returning to her sister. "Lynn, can you help me? I'm really worried and confused right now. I don't know if I'm doing the right thing!"

The athlete looked away quickly. "I mean I could, but are you sure?" she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly. "I mean, something like that sounds like Lori's department rather than mine."

And yet, Lana's gaze simply softened, silently begging her for answers. Truth be told, she knew that Lori would know better, but she decided that simply venting to someone else would be nice. "Please Lynn I just wanna talk to you."

Slowly, Lynn stepped back. "I dunno, that's probably not a good idea…"

Yet, Lana looked up, into her eyes. "But Lynn… you barely talk to me nowadays! And when you do it's just to ask where I'm gonna be and stuff!" desperation began to fill the younger girl's voice. "Lynn…"

"I'm sorry Lana," she whispered, her eyes falling softly upon her little sister, before she turned and bolted off.

"Lynn! Where are you going?!" In an instant, Lana gave chase, though of course, her older sister proved to be significantly faster. _"I have to keep up with her. What's going on?! Why's she running away?!"_ she looked to the side. _"Is it something I did?"_

For the next few minutes after that, Lynn and Lana ran through the streets of Royal Woods, with Lynn being forced to dodge random passerby's and swerve wildly as she tried to shake her sister off, while Lana could easily sail passed them due to her small size. Despite this, Lynn managed to maintain the lead.

Soon enough, the once hard, paved sidewalks of the town were replaced by the soft grass of Royal Woods Park. Warm autumn air surrounded the duo as they ran, the younger girl doing her best to keep pace with the older.

For a moment, it seemed as if they were young again, and this simply was just another game that they would play together to bond.

And yet, they both knew that there was more to it than that.

"Please Lynn!" Lana cried. "I can't run for much longer! I just wanna talk to you!" Her voice was filled with exhaustion, while her running stance became more sloppy, eventually reaching the point where she was lazily stepping forward. "Please, I-" yet, before she could finish her line, her foot got caught on a rock, causing her to stumble forward and fall. She slid for a moment, before coming to rest in a pile of freshly made mud.

Slowly after that, Lynn found herself winding down, her once panicked run turning into a slow stroll as she came to rest. She panted in exhaustion as she placed her hands on her knees. _"D-did I lose her?"_

*Sniffle*

" _N-no!"_ The athlete's eyes went wide as she found herself turning back. In that moment, she was young again, and the twins had just tripped and fallen into a puddle of mud…

Because she made them run.

She shook her head and blinked, allowing the pained visage of her young sister to come into view. Carefully, she stepped over, her eyes focused on the young girl.

At this point, Lana rolled upright and pulled herself in, taking a moment to inspect the injuries she had sustained. Thankfully, they were simply small cuts on her elbows. Nothing too serious to deal with.

" _Just like last time…"_ the thought crossed the young woman's mind. As she blinked, she swore she could see two girls instead of one sitting before her, yet as she squatted down, her mind calmed slightly, allowing it to focus on the one. "Are… are you all right, Lana?"

The young girl gave her a look of disbelief, before covering her injuries with her hand in a futile attempt to hide them. "Yeah, I'm fine."

" _This is my fault… I… I failed her again…"_ she slowly leaned forward, wrapping her little sister in her arms. "It's all right Lana… you'll be all right…"

"Why'd you run away?!" the younger girl shouted, frustration filling her voice. "I just wanted to talk to you and you just ran!" she glared at her sister, while poison filled her voice.

In response, Lynn looked away. "I'm sorry…" she slowly turned, lifting up the plumber as she did so, and began to make her way forward, towards a familiar oak tree who's shade protected countless people from the harsh rays of the sun.

"Lynn, what's going on?" Lana's voice softened.

Yet, her older sister didn't reply, choosing instead to simply place her down at the base of the tree, before rummaging through her pockets. Now, most people would say it wasn't practical to always carry around some basic medical supplies, but Lynn disagreed. After all, in a family of crazy experiments and ideas, being able to put bandages on a cut came in handy.

Slowly, she pulled out a pack of Band-Aids and alcohol pads before getting to work. "This'll hurt just a bit," with that, she broke open the pad and wiped her cuts, before covering them up with the bandages. "There, good as new."

Lana rubbed her now covered wounds. "Thanks…" she looked up, into her sister's eyes. "Lynn… please, tell me the truth, what's going on?"

For a moment, the young athlete simply looked into her sister's eyes, her own gaze softening, silently begging for her to brush off the question- to allow her an out. And yet, she didn't allow it. Lana slowly stood up doing her best to stand up at Lynn's sitting height, urging her to answer.

And so, the older girl looked away. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" she asked.

With that, Lynn stepped passed her sister and stood before the oak tree. Over the years, countless couples had marked its bark with their wishes. Their hopes and dreams carved into the bark as if it were a monument to them and them alone. She stretched out her hand, placing her palm upon a certain marking. Three L's with a heart drawn around them.

Her marking.

She bowed her head and closed her eyes. _"It's my fault…"_

Lana stood up. "Lynn…"

Soft tears began to make their way down Lynn's cheeks. "I'm sorry Lana…"

The younger girl stepped forward and grasped her sister's hand. "Sorry for what?"

"I couldn't protect her…" the athlete's voice trailed off. "I promised to protect you both. That I would love you no matter what," she clenched her fist. "But where was I when Lola needed me the most?!" with that, she reeled back and sent the fist into the mark she had left. "Waiting around for something to happen is what!" wasting no time, she pulled back and sent it flying again. "It's my fault! All of it is! I should've been there! I should've noticed the signs! I should've-"

Yet, before she punch the tree the third time, a small hand grasped her own.

Slowly, Lana tugged on her sister's hand, pulling her to turn and face her.

For a moment, the duo simply looked at each other, both seemingly unsure of what to do next. Yet, the young girl stepped forward, carefully wrapping her arms around her older sister, pulling her into a soft, comforting embrace. "Lynn, it's all right."

"It's not!" she flared her arms. "Because of me, Lola's stuck in a coma!" he quickly wiped her tears. "If I had just been faster, stronger, something more, then I would've been able to-"

"Lynn… you wouldn't have," she pushed off and held her arm. "I… I talked to Lindsey about what happened. How Lola ended up getting crushed by a chandelier."

"I could've pushed her out of the way then!"

But, Lana stepped forward and shook her head. "Lola pushed Lindsey out of the way to save her… there was nothing you could've done, Lynn," she grabbed her sister's hand and held it in both of her own. "The accident wasn't your fault."

" _The accident wasn't your fault,"_ those words bounded through Lynn's mind as Lana pulled her closer.

"Lynn, I miss Lola…" she whispered. "But… when she was around I could always talk to you whenever I needed someone. Please, I need you, I need my big sister."

She looked away. "I'll only fail you… I promised to protect you, but look at you, I had to bandage you up because you got hurt…" her mind interjected. _"Because of me…"_

Yet, Lana hugged her again and shook her head. "I fell because I wasn't paying attention. If you weren't here, there wouldn't have been anyone around to help me," she looked into the older girl's eyes. "So what if you make mistakes, you're not perfect. And no matter what, I'll love you."

"B-but Lola…"

"She would still love you too."

With that, silence overtook the duo, Lana's words echoing through Lynn's mind.

"Lynn… I'm planning on trying to wake up Lola."

"H-how?" Lynn stammered. "The doctors said that it was unlikely…"

"Lisa told me that the things I do might be able to wake her up," she answered, determination filling her voice. "I'm trying to win the pageant Lola couldn't, that way she'll wake up!"

Lynn looked on in disbelief for a moment, before smiling, her face lighting up at the idea. "Count me in," she wrapped her arms around her once more.

"Thanks, Lynn," she replied, before a loud *ring* echoed through the air.

With that, the older girl broke the embrace. "Oh, well look at that, it's time for practice."

Lana gave a small nod. "All right, see you at home, Lynn!"

With that, the athlete smiled and bolted off. "See you at home!"

And the younger girl waved her off, before turning and heading in the direction of home. _"So that's why Lynn wasn't talking to me…"_ she walked in silence, her mind slowly piecing together the ideas placed before her. _"Lynn avoided me because she didn't wanna hurt me… could everyone else be going through the same thing?"_

Suddenly the realization dawned upon her. _"They're… they miss Lola too…"_ she looked aside, mentally kicking themselves. _"Dangit, why didn't I see it?! They wanna bring her back too…"_ she took a breath. _"But what should I do? It's not like I can get them all to help me out… right?"_

She looked to the side and continued on her way. _"Maybe it's possible… but first, I need to talk to Lisa. She always knows what's going on… and maybe she can tell me the truth too."_

9 23-15-14-4-5-18 23-8-1-20 9-14-6-15-18-13-1-20-9-15-14 20-8-5 23-1-20-3-8 3-15-14-20-1-9-14-19

 **A/N And there we go! I hope you guys enjoyed! As I mentioned in my NaNoWriMo fic, I'll be holding off updates of this until December most likely due to school work and the fact that, well, this story is hard to write due to many reasons. I thank you all for your support! And as always, feel free to drop ideas here!**

 **And don't worry! LFLS will update soon!**


	12. A Scientist's Secrets

**A/N Hey guys! I know it's been a while, but school, Christmas and NaNoWriMo really beat me down. Don't worry though, I'll always finish my writing work! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twelve: A Scientist's Secrets

"Lisa!" Lana called out as she kicked her home's front door open. "Where are you?!"

A moment passed with no reply. _"Figures,"_ Lana grimaced. _"She's not home yet,"_ she took a breath with that, before shaking her head. _"Well then, it looks like I'm stuck waiting for her, dangit."_ And so, she stepped over and hopped on the couch, her gaze fixed squarely on the front door. _"Come on, hurry up! I know you're busy playing your videogames and stuff, but this is important!"_

Silence filled the room, as she was the first one home, none of her siblings have had the chance to bring in their usual brand of chaos. Whether this was a benefit given what she had just heard, she did not know.

" _I'm just gonna fail you again,"_ Lynn's words echoed through her mind. _"Why does she sound like me?"_ she broke her gaze from the entrance. _"The reason Lynn avoided me was because she was worried that I would get hurt on her watch… But, that makes no sense! If anyone's to blame, it's me… I caused it all and now everyone's hurt…"_ she shook her head, doing her best to rid herself of that train of thought, before she shoved her hand in her pocket, wasting no time pulling out the watch Lisa had given her.

" _I wonder why Lisa gave me this… I don't even play videogames!"_ she poked it. The device was cubic in design, with the watch face consisting of just a glass screen, and buttons along its side, no doubt to act as controls for when Lisa plays her games. _"Now that I think of it, how the heck did she even play on this thing? It's so tiny and-"_

Suddenly, her finger brushed up against a small button on the back of the device, causing it to ring to life as a small projector emerged from the top of the face. "What the-"

Then, it aimed up and fired a small beam of light, causing a hologram of Lisa to appear before her. **"Journal Function Initialized. Welcome Lisa."**

"Whoa," Lana hopped to her feet and stepped closer to the construct. From what she could tell, it was a perfect replica of Lisa, aside from the fact that when she tried to touch it, her hand simply phased right through her.

" **Please do not do that,"** The hologram sighed. **"Please hold for DNA scan."**

The young plumber stood up straight in reply and waited as the device emitted a beam of light, checking her identity. A moment passed after that, before the construct's epression fell somber. **"I see. Protocol: Truth, initiated. Hello Lana."**

" _She… set this up for me?"_ The young girl's eyes went wide in surprise.

" **Please, take a seat,"** she motioned towards the couch, before placing her hands behind her back. **"As I have come into your possession, I have been programmed to play several entries for you."**

"Uhh… what about?" she tilted her head in confusion. "And why did Lisa give you to me?"

" **Because she wishes not to tell you the truth directly. She finds the scenario too unbearable to do. So she entrusted myself to you in order for you to learn,"** She turned around and shook her head. **"As for what each entry is about, Lola."**

Lana's eyes went wide as she found herself stumbling back onto the couch and leaning forward, eagerly listening to what the construct was about to say.

With that, the hologram glanced back. **"From Lisa, I'm sorry, Lana,"** Before disappearing. A moment later, and what appeared to be a web of files appeared around Lana. A cursor then scrolled over to one of the folders and clicked, creating a list of documents which automatically began to play.

Lisa appeared before her once more, her gaze stoic and calm- as if nothing had ever happened. **"Journal date, September fifth, 2016."**

" _That's the day of the accident…"_ Lana's mind jumped at the idea, leaning forward in curiosity.

" **Today, my elder sister Lola, aged six, has been involved in what can be best described as an accident. Due to the recent nature of this incident as well as the fact that my parents have refused to divulge any information pertaining to it, I am unable to draw any conclusions at this time,"** she sighed. **"I do believe she should be fine however… hopefully."**

With that, the entry cut out, prompting the next one to play immediately.

" **September Seventh, 2016, a few moments ago, our mother has informed us that Lola has survived her injuries. Her vitals are stable for the most part. However, as her injury, which has been revealed to be blunt-force trauma to the head, she has not awoken yet. I fear that she may be more badly injured than we have been led to believe."**

" _She's more badly injured…"_ Lana's mind grabbed onto those words. That couldn't be true, could it? I mean, yes, she was in pretty bad shape when she first saw her. And yes, she wouldn't react when she tried to give her a birthday gift, but I mean, come on! She looked away, her gaze faltering from her sister.

" **Lana, if you are watching this right now, though I doubt you will be, do not worry, I am sure everything will be all right."**

She looked up, before the projection faded, allowing the next construct to come into view. This time speaking with a hint of remorse. **"September fourteenth, 2016. Sometimes I wish to describe myself as a calm and rational person and so I am unsure of how to understand my elder sister Lana, aged six as well, as she reacts to the situation at hand. Her behavior has been odd when compared to her usual behavioral patterns. She insists on keeping things clean for her twin as opposed to her typical messy behavior. When I attempted to inform her of the… severity of Lola's current situation, she lashed out at me, before running out in the rain and then demanding Lori give her a bath. With this in mind, I fear that this may be indicative of her future actions."**

The young plumber looked away again. _"Yeah, Lola wants me to be clean, so I'll be clean just for her…"_ She hesitated at he idea. _"Did she think I wouldn't be able to understand what happened to Lola? I mean, yeah, I can't stop thinking about her…"_ she shook her head and swiped the air and surprisingly enough, it worked, the feed instantly continued.

" **September fifteenth, 2016. After the events the previous night, I have found myself observing my siblings as they go about their daily routines,"** Lisa paused for a moment, rubbing her chin. **"I have noticed that my siblings have begun to isolate themselves from each other. While before the accident, this was normal, as we each have our own interests, we still spent a significant amount of our time together. Now however…"** her voice trailed off, before she quickly shook her head. **"In other news, I have begun work on a drug capable of waking comatose patients. It works by-"** The feed cut out at this point, no doubt to prevent Lana from losing interest.

" _So Lisa began to work on a way to wake her up?!"_ excitement began to rush through Lana's body. _"What happened? Maybe I could-"_

Yet, before she could finish her train of thought, the feed picked back up. ***Cough* *Cough*** Lisa soon came into view as a could of dust dissipated. She waved her hand to help blow some away, before putting out a burning piece of her hair. **"Well this development was unexpected. Today is September eighteenth, 2016. During my attempts to synthesize the drug mentioned in previous entries, one of the reactions became unstable and went critical, resulting a small explosion. Though set back, I do believe that it will still be possible to complete-"** Yet, before she could even finish, another explosion rocked the recording, forcibly terminating the video.

" _Lisa!"_ Lana's eyes went wide, before she looked down in realization. _"That's why she's looked so bruised up lately… but accidents like these are normal for her, right? I mean, if they weren't then she would've said something,"_ Rather then try and ponder this question, she returned her focus to the feed.

At this point, Lisa had begun to look worse for wear. Yes, she was all right physically, but she had begun to form small bags under her eyes, while her once burned locks still bore its scars, though they were much less noticeable given her now even more messy hair. **"September twenty second-second…"** her voice trailed off for a moment, before she glanced back. **"Multiple failures during the synthesis of that drug have persuaded me to postpone this creation. Instead, I have begun to refocus my efforts into what I call nanites, tiny robots capable of working at the cellular level to repair damage and hopefully heal the host. At the moment, these little workers seem to show much promise, though of course, like all things, they still have many bugs to work out,"** she adjusted her stance and put on a small smile. **"In other news, I have decided to purchase a videogame,"** She pulled out a small box depicting what appeared to be a wolf with a sword in its mouth. **"It's pocket monsters-"**

Of course, the feed cut out before she could start rambling about what game she had bought. Lana sat back in her seat. _"Well… I guess those are the drones she was telling me about, but it couldn't have gone too poorly, right?"_ she hesitated. _"Now that I think of it, why did she give me this anyways?"_

Instead of answering her question, the device simply moved onto the next entry, which started off by having Lisa appear in front of her computer, tapping away at the controls as best as she could. **"Come on! This is such a simple puzzle, why am I having so much trouble-"**

*Beep!* The device went, breaking Lisa out of the intense focus she had on her game.

" **Huh?"** she turned, before instantly adjusting herself. **"Right, I was about to journal,"** she coughed and stood up straight. **"September thirtieth. After continuous tests with live hosts… I have found that the first several iterations of nanites are all hostile towards DNA. In fact, many outright attack it on sight, causing mutations to occur within the subjects, leading to many to become deceased. In rare cases, these mutate to the point of becoming monstrosities. Suffice it to say, these are not ready for human trials until these issues can be resolved,"** she paused, before bringing the recording close to her monitor, showing off what appeared to be a lab. **"After completing my previous game, I have begun playing this puzzle game, gateway. It's very-"**

And once again, the feed cut out, along with the small hope that had begun to fill Lana's body. _"So the nanities were a bust too? They just… didn't work,"_ she hesitated, unwilling to look up as the next entry began to play.

" **The nanities I created in an attempt to amend this situation still do not work properly, and the ingredients for the drug I have proposed are so unstable that merely leaving them in a blast-proof container is all that stands between me and losing my fingers…"** she shook her head. **"October third, 2016. It seems as if everything I have attempted to do simply doesn't work. I do wish to awaken our comatose sibling, but at the moment, I seem to be running out of ideas. I do hope that things improve in the coming days, given the events.** "

Without even waiting for Lana, the next video immediately started up. The scientist remained silent, unsure of just how to begin for a moment, before taking a breath and tapping away to pause her game. **"October fifth, 2016. Today was the twins' date of birth. Normally, we're very festive about the day, doing our best to celebrate and give good gifts. I had initially believed that the festivities would be enough to bring some comfort given the circumstances, but alas, Lana simply remained focused on her gift to Lola. This of course, was most likely another coping mechanism. It didn't help morale or any hope that she would wake up though. In another news, I have begun to create a device with the intent of over-stimulating her senses. Hopefully the neural input will be enough to shock her awake."**

At this point, the young girl simply shook her head. _"This isn't going to work, is it?"_ She hesitated. _"If it did, then she would've said something."_

And as if on cue, the next video came to life, with Lisa laying down. She rolled over onto her back, before raising a finger. "I'm ok!" before she sat up and shook her head, holding it for a moment. **"Another day, another failure. October seventh, 2016. The stimulator device broke. In order for it to stimulate every single nerve at the same time, required an immense amount of power to be forced through it, causing a small explosion… perhaps this isn't as good of an idea as I expected."**

Lana leaned forward, her gaze softening as if took in her sister's sorry state. She was injured, just as badly as before, though now sporting the scorch marks from the previous blast. _"Lisa…"_

" **Maybe I should take a break… I heard Lincoln talking about some games being on sale today…"** she stepped over to her computer and hopped in her seat.

The feed then cut for a moment, only to immediately restart with Lisa now playing the game. **"Take that GLaDOS! Haha! That's for lying about the cake!"** After those words, the feed cut for the last time, as the projector returned to its resting place.

For a moment, Lana remained silent, the realization of what she had just seen taking time to set in. _"All of those failures… Lisa was going her best to wake her up and it just didn't seem like anything worked…"_ she clutched the device. _"She wanted to show me this, but just… couldn't."_

" _I don't want to fail you again,"_ Lynn's words resounded with that thought. _"Just like Lynn couldn't…"_

With that, she held her head up. _"She needs to help too. She deserves to have a hand in waking Lola up too. That way all of her hard work wouldn't have gone to waste."_

*Creak* the front door went, as a small face peaked through the door, seemingly doing her best to not alert the girl waiting on the other side. Though of course this was no use.

"Lisa!" Lana immediately hopped to her feet and ran over to the door. Grabbing hold of the knob and swinging it open. "I wanna talk-"

Yet, before she could, Lisa darted right passed her. She rushed up the stairs and slammed the door, forcing Lana to give chase and stand before the young girl's door. _"Come on Lisa, I need your help too!"_

She took a breath. "Lisa! Please don't hide from me! I just wanna talk!"

"Please do not disturb me, elder sister," Lisa's voice cracked slightly, though she managed to keep the monotone she was so well known for. "I am currently attempting to capture a five-star gigantamax Snorlax, and these NPC partners are proving to be especially useless."

For a moment, Lana stood by, Lisa's videogame description going right over her head, though she quickly shook her head and knocked again. "Lisa, I saw your journal."

The once vibrant battle music that filled the air came to an abrupt stop, but the soft shuffling of tiny feet approached. The room door creaked open every so slightly- just enough for a small, exhausted eye to peer though.

The young plumber looked into it, her gaze softening. "Lisa, how many experiments did you try?"

The scientist paused, her mind instantly jumping to the idea of simply slamming the door shut, donning her noise-cancelling headphones and returning to her game. After all, the event that released this pocket monster would only last another three days! _"Let's not waste time,"_ She slowly moved the door. "That's not important," she did her best to put on her best composure, before then pushing… only for her sister to catch the door with her foot. _"Dangit, she got me."_

"Please Lisa," she gave her little sister a begging gaze. "Please, I wanna know."

"Lana, there is nothing to talk about," she put on the strongest voice she could. "Now please-"

"Lisa, you know you gave me your journal," the older girl countered. "You wouldn't show me something like that unless you wanted me to know the truth!"

"Precisely," she grimaced and looked away. "You know everything, about all the failures I had attempting to wake our comatose sibling. There is nothing more to talk about. I failed!"

Lana looked into her sister's eyes. "Lisa…"

"I failed, got it!" she countered once more, her face turning a soft shade of red. "Don't you get it?! There's nothing I can do!"

Yet, rather then try to continue to fight, Lana simple stood, looking into her little sister's begging gaze as she did so. "Please, let's just talk."

And after a moment of staring, Lisa relented, taking a breath and stepping aside. "Very well, you may enter."

Lana then pushed forward and did so.

Just like before, the room was a mess- hardly fitting a person of Lisa's genius. She had a Lincoln-shaped cleaning robot keeping things in order for the most part, though that most likely fell into a state of disrepair.

She stepped on a small piece of gum and pulled her foot up, revealing the sticky strands it had formed. "Eww… Lisa, have you been living like this?" she slowly looked around the room, her eyes darting from the piles of discarded experiments and failed inventions, before she carefully stepped over the canisters of deadly neurotoxin. _"Why the heck does Lisa keep this stuff in her room?!"_

"Affirmative," Lisa held her hands behind her back while her voice faltered, filling with embarrassment. She quickly perked up and motioned towards her computer. "Would you like to see the latest game I bought? It's a rather charming platformer about a alien girl who uses hats to-"

"Lisa, you're getting distracted again," Lana cut her off.

In response, Lisa hopped in her chair and swiveled towards her computer. "No I am not. I can quit whenever I desire. I just play them when I go on break from my projects, like right now," With that, she got to work on the next mission, fighting a ghost man to get her soul back. "I will defeat you, snatcher!"

The older girl shook her head. "Lisa! You're playing now! And I'm not done talking to you!"

No reply, she was too busy with her game.

Lana stepped over and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, turning her to face her as she did so. "Lisa, please, tell me about your projects to wake up Lola."

Lisa immediately tensed up. Her mind immediately jumping to the idea of lying to her sister, despite the fact that there just was no use in doing so. Yet, she wasn't going to at least try. "My attempts are going well," Her voice began to falter. "I just need more time…"

For a moment, Lana considered simply going along with what she was saying- to just accept her blatant lie as thee truth. Yet, she simply sighed and shook her head. _"This is for Lola, I need her."_ She then placed both hands on Lisa's shoulders. "Lisa… you talked about all the failures you had to deal with- about how you just couldn't do anything to wake her up."

"I am aware…" her voice trailed off.

"Was it true?" Her voice filled with a soft solemnity. "Please Lisa, I wanna know the truth."

And so, the scientist nodded. "Yes, it was. It was all true," Lana let go of her, prompting her to hop from her perch and make her way to the nearby workbench. "Lana… what do you know about the human brain?"

She scratched the back of her head. "Well, uhh, not much really. Just what you've told me about it and stuff…"

Lisa sighed. "Lana, the human brain is… extreme complicated to say the least," She pulled out a small vial filled with yellow liquid. "In order to try and wake up our sibling, I created these nano-robots, only for these to mutate whatever they came into contact with. I studied deadly neurotoxin in the hopes of discovering a drug that could fix the damage!" She shook her head. "Every time I got an idea for a possible solution, life decided to just come in an stop it from working… I don't know how to help Lola."

"So this whole time…" Lana's voice trailed off. "You had no idea what to do?"

*Sigh* Lisa let her arms fall limply at her sides. "Affirmative. No matter what I tried, nothing seemed to work…" she looked away, shame filling her gaze. "I'm supposed to be a genius capable of changing the world at the drop of a hat, and yet, I cannot solve what appears to be a simple problem!"

Slowly, Lana stepped over and wrapped her arms around her sister. "Lisa, you're not a failure."

"W-what're you talking about?! I couldn't do something as simple as wake our comatose sibling! Of course I'm a failure!"

Yet, the plumber simply held her tighter. "No, you're not. You're a smart girl doing your best to solve something that no one else can," she pushed back, allowing her to look into her sister's eyes. "And I've gotta say, I'm glad you've at least tried."

"But that's it! I've tried! Nothing's worked!"

"But something will, I just know it, Lisa," Lana's voice filled with a motherly heat, and I know that you can do it. And I know Lola would be happy that you tried your hardest for her."

For a moment after that, Lisa, remained silent, unsure if whether or not to really believe what she had said.

"Lisa, was what you said true? About how if I did things related to Lola that she might wake up?"

The scientist shrugged, and rubbed her arm. "While I'm uncertain, that is one thing I do believe can help."

The older girl then looked up, her voice filling with determination. "Well then, would you like to help me?"

Instantly, Lisa perked up. "What do you have in mind?"

In response, the plumber rubbed the back of her head. "After everything you've tried, I know it'll be hard, but I'm planning on winning the contest Lola couldn't, that way she's going to have a reason to wake up." She then looked up, into Lisa's eyes. "We can wake her up, I just know it!"

For a moment, Lisa thought of the idea. Yes, if given the chance, Lola would've easily beaten the competition… and yet, a part of her recoiled at the idea. The very nature of comas mean that a patient would not react to outside stimuli. For this actually work, well it was extremely unlikely! Yet, despite this, a small hope began to glow within Lisa. Finally, there was something more she could do! And so, with little hesitation, she nodded. "Yes! I will help!"

Lana smiled threw her arms around her sister. "Thank you Lisa!"

"No problem," she returned the embrace, before releasing. "Now, I have a boss battle to win, just call me when you require my assistance."

With that, she nodded and turned, running out of the room and into her own Her heart raced in excitement as she stood before her plan once more. _"I didn't expect to have so many people on board, but I'm glad I do. It'll make waking her up all the easier!"_ she took a breath. _"Now, let's get to work!"_

20-8-5 19-3-9-5-14-20-9-19-20 9-19 14-15-23 15-14 20-8-5 20-9-3-11-5-20! 1-12-12 20-8-1-20-'19 12-5-6-20 1-18-5 20-8-5 10-5-19-20-5-18 1-14-4 13-21-19-9-3-9-1-14

 **A/N And there we go! I hope you guys enjoyed chapter 12! I'm on vacation right now (in fact I'm sending this out from my hotel in the Philippines) but I do expect to stay on track for my updates for the time being! As always, feel free to send ideas and the like!**

 **Guest Reviews:**

 **Guest (C4): Monody is my favorite song and applies well to this fic.**


	13. False Start

**A/N Man, the pain I go through to get chapters to you on time. I just got off the plane and it's 3 am when I'm writing this. But hey, I managed, and here's the next chapter! I hope you guys enjoy! Man, I feel old, I've been working on this for year, but only have 12 chapters?! That's pretty slow for me! I need to speed up! I thank Shinovii and Foolsgold Fenrir for their help!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Thirteen: False Start

"Everyone! Dinner Time!" Lynn Sr.'s voice resonated through the Loud House, breaking through the young girl's work-induced trance. "Come on, before we eat it all!"

"Huh?" Instantly, Lana shook her head and raised her hand to her mouth. "Coming, dad!" Before she took a breath and rushed to her feet. _"Man, how long was I working on that?"_ she paused, and shook her head. _"Right, doesn't matter. I almost have everyone on board. The only ones left are Luna and Luan."_ At that moment, her mind jumped to the image of a certain boy with white hair. _"No… Lincoln… he still doesn't wanna help, right?"_ she looked aside, before shaking her head. _"Doesn't matter… it wouldn't hurt to ask him again later, right? He just needed some time to think about it and stuff."_

With that, she ran out of room and jumped up, easily sliding down the railing as she came to a stop in front of the family's kitchen. "And she sticks the landing!"

"Well, well, it looks like someone's excited," Lynn Sr. put on a nostalgic smile and glanced back at his daughter. "You feelin' all right?"

"Yep!" The plumber hastily answered. "I've never felt better!"

The man put on a sheepish smile, and turned back to his craft. "That's great to hear. Why don't you join the others? I'm about to serve dinner."

"Got it!" She didn't hesitate to nod and run into the next room, effectively jumping into her seat a moment later.

A few minutes passed after that, as the rest of the loud kids came down. "She shoots, she scores!" Lynn Jr. excitedly shouted, before jumping into the seat next to her little sister, wrapping her arm around her as she landed. "How're ya feelin'?"

Lana gave a small smile. "Better."

The athlete gave a warm, understanding expression in reply. "That's good," she took a breath and pulled her sister close with one arm. "I'm sorry for having avoided ya all this time. I promise I won't anymore."

"Thanks, sis," she answered, before returning the embrace.

"Ahem," Lisa cleared her throat as she placed her notebook on the table and took a seat directly across from her. "If you two are done with your moment of sibling bonding, I have some ideas to discuss."

The young girl broke from her sister and refocused on the scientist. "Yeah? What's up, Lis?"

The younger girl turned the notebook out, revealing a page with several diagrams drawn in what appeared to be a four-year-old's scribbles and crayon. "I apologize for its appearance, but I was out of writing implements and my hands are still under developed."

Lana grabbed the paper, wasting no time scanning it. "Is… is this a routine?!"

"Affirmative," Lisa rubbed the back of her head. "I decided that a way I could assist in your current endeavor would be to go over winning routines and extrapolate ideas from them. That way you can use winning ideas in order to win."

" _And here I was, just being stuck on what to do, and then Lisa comes by and fixes it for me,"_ she looked up from the paper and gave her little sister a big smile. "Thanks Lisa!"

"It was on no issue. Anything to wake our comatose sibling," She answered, before more siblings began to step into the room. Leni was busy walking and sewing at the same time- so much that she accidently walked into the wall, before looking up. "Oh, sorry Mr. Wall!" She then trotted over to her seat with a smile, albeit bruise on her forehead.

"How's the dress goin'?" Lana wasted no time asking.

Instantly, Leni's eyes began to beam in excitement. "Like, it's totes going great!" She held up the garment. At this point it seemed to be coming along nicely, with frills and decorations so complex that it would make even Lola blush at the sight!"

And so, Lana smiled. "It looks great so far, Lola would be proud to wear it."

"Thanks," The seamstress gave a soft smile. "I hope you'll enjoy wearing it too."

" _I don't care what I have to wear,"_ the thought instantly cut across the young girl's mind. _"As long as Lola wakes up, then I'll even let myself get tarred and feathered, and run around in the nude."_

Over the next few moments, the rest of the siblings arrived, with Lori barely glancing at Lana while holding her hands behind her head, while Lucy simply appeared in her seat- as if she had teleported when no one was looking. Lastly, Lincoln took a seat next to Lucy, resting his elbow against the table, he too unable to look at Lana. Rita too came by, though with bags under her eyes- no doubt from the exhaustion of constant studying. And Lily crawled into her seat soon after.

All who remained were Luna and Luan.

"Sorry!" Luna worriedly rushed into the dining room, panting in exhaustion. "I'm not late for dinner, am I?" she pat her back to make sure her guitar was still properly secured. "Practice went a bit longer than I thought it would. Sam and I were having some trouble getting some cords right!"

" _She still makes music, that's good,"_ Lana breathed a sigh of relief. Given just how far some of her siblings have gone- to see one that seemed relatively unaffected was a nice change of pace. _"Hopefully she'll be willing to perform. Lola, as much as she said she hated it, just couldn't sleep when Luna wasn't playing music."_

"Nah, you're good," Lynn chuckled, before grabbing one of the slices of bread their father had left out as appetizers, before rolling it up and tossing it into her mouth like a ball.

Lori instantly perked up. "Aww, you two even have the same music problems! It's like you two were literally meant to be!" before she clasped her hands and looked up, hearts filling her eyes.

"Aww dude," Luna instantly blushed in embarrassment. "It's not like that! We're just band makes and good friends right now!"

"That's how it starts," The eldest girl leaned forward and placed her hands on her sister's shoulders. "Then you start dating, then marriage and then-"

"Hey guys," a meek voice spoke up, cutting the young woman's rambling off. "Sorry if I'm late," with that, Luan stepped into the room, Mr. Coconuts resting on her arm.

" _She… doesn't look well,"_ the plumber's gaze slowly made its way down her sister. Luan was never the healthiest Loud, but she did her best to seem as much. When she planned on staying up late setting up pranks, she'd sleep and nap as much as possible. If she had work, she'd do nothing else but prep for it and eat well so that she wouldn't have a worry in the world.

And yet, now, she sported the same bags under her eyes as her mother, while her voice fell low, a stark contrast to that of her former, comedic self. She moved slowly closer to the table, while holding up her dummy. "We would've been here sooner," Mr. Coconuts glared are his owner. "But somebody just had to grab some free extra soda from the party bar!"

"Y-yeah," she rubbed the back of her head awkwardly, while looking down in shame.

"Stop drinking so much soda! You're gettin' fat, tuts," The puppet pointed at Luan, though the young woman simply looked away, choosing against answering his taunts.

" _Wow…"_ Lana's gaze softened at the sight. _"I really haven't been paying attention to Luan…"_ Her gaze slowly moved along her big sister's features, each showing the exhaustion she had no doubt experienced. _"She doesn't look good…"_ Rather than respond to any of her siblings' words, Luan instead chose to focus on her dummy, having him answer whenever someone would ask her a question. _"She might be harder to convince…"_

Lana gulped at the thought, before their father finally stepped in, a cooked chicken in his arms. "All right kids! Time to eat!" And with that, he placed the dish on the table, prompting his kids to begin devouring the beast.

 _ **The Next Day…**_

" _All right Lana, you can do this,"_ she gulped as she looked up at the door to the middle oldest children. _"You managed to convince almost everyone else to help you. Yeah, Lynn and Lisa had their issues, but waking Lola up is gonna solve that!"_ at the moment, Lincoln's image flashed her mind once more, prompting her to shake her head. _"He doesn't wanna help… but why though?! I still don't get it!"_ she took a breath. _"That doesn't matter right now. I have to convince them to help!"_ and with that, she leaned forward and knocked.

A moment later, the clown girl answered. Despite having no one to perform for, she still wore the dummy on her arm, as if ready to drop everything at a moment's notice to head to a party. For a moment, Luan paused, before putting on a sheepish smile. "Oh, h-hi."

"Hey Luan," the young girl held her arms behind her back and began to draw in the carpet with her foot. "Is Luna in there with ya? I have something I wanna talk to you both about."

"Err, well, uhh…" she began to stammer, prompting Mr. Coconuts to face palm. "Let me handle this," the puppet turned to Lana and motioned inside. "She's on her bed right now, tuts. Come on in."

" _That was weird… Mr. Coconuts doesn't have a mind of his own, right?"_ She pondered for a moment, before waving the idea off. _"Nah, it's just a puppet, like Rex was from that show!"_ and follow the duo inside.

Thankfully, Luna and Luan's room seemed to have not changed in the months following the accident, with Luna's instruments and Luan's pre-made pranks still overflowing out of their shared closet. _"Well, at least that's one thing that's the same."_

"'Ello luv," Luna greeted, tugging on her guitar strings to tune as she did so. "What brings ya 'ere?"

In response, Lana began to rub the back of her head, before taking a breath and looking into her sisters' eyes. "Girls, I wanna tell you about a project I'm working on."

The duo looked on in confusion, while fear began to rush through the little girl's body.

" _What if they answer like Lincoln? What if they cringe and just tell me to go?!"_ she clenched her fists, doing her best to keep her nerve. "I'm trying to wake Lola up."

For a moment, the two teens and puppet simply stared at the young girl, with none of them sure just how to reply.

And so, Mr. Coconuts raised his arm and glanced at his toy watch. "Oh? Well would ya look at the time!" He pointed to the door, prompting Luan to slowly step to towards it, while making sure not to break eye contact with Lana. "I've gotta go use the little puppet's room now!" before she took a wide step out the door and slammed it shut behind her, leaving only her and Luna in the room.

" _Well that could've gone better,"_ the little girl turned to her remaining big sister. "What about you, Luna?" her voice began to fill with desperation.

The older girl took a moment, looking into her little sister's eyes, before she straightened her back and looked down at her guitar, strumming it softly as she did so. "I don't know, Lana."

Immediately, Lana fell to her knees and raised her clasped hands up, begging for another response. "Please! I'm trying to win the contest Lola wasn't able to, so she'll wake up!" she opened her eyes, allowing soft tears to begin making their way down her cheeks. "But I need more help! I need you, Luna!

" _Lana, you know it won't work, right?"_ Luna's mind instantly cut in, in reply, as her gaze softened. Yet, she simply strapped herself and nodded. "Well… I guess it couldn't hurt, right?"

Lana's gaze instantly lit up, before she threw her arms around her sister. "Oh thank you, thank you so much, Luna!" she pulled back, her body still shaking in fear. _"She could say no whenever, right? She wants to help too!"_

"No probs, sis," Luna took a breath, before continuing to tune her guitar. "So what did you have in mind?"

"Well," the plumber rubbed the back of her head for a moment, before looking back at her sister. "I was thinking that, since we wanna perform for Lola, we should play a song she would've liked, got any ideas?"

Instantly, the teen's mind jumped to the image of little girl dressed in pink. When they were infants, Luna would always play for them, adding to the family's efforts to put them to sleep. And through it all, it seemed that one song always seemed to do the trick.

"Let's sing a song, full of hope, full of pain," she strummed softly, much to her sister's surprise. "Why don't you sing along my friend, for its out last refrain…" Luna's voice trailed off.

"Hmm," Lana rubbed her chin. "That sounds good, but I think I need to hear more before I make my choice.

" _This was her favorite…"_ the musician closed her eyes and continued. "Forever young, ever strong, ever brave. Memories like this never end, they don't fade away," her voice began to pick up, a soft, loving heat filling the air. "So when I'm gone, oh when I'm gone… I'll be right here, close to the sun… keep holdin' on, keep holdin… on…" her voice began to slow. "And I'll be right there, close to the sun…"

*Sniffle*

"Luna?" She looked towards her sister in confusion, the young woman wiping the tears that had begun to form in her eyes. "A-Are you ok?"

*Sniffle* Luna nodded, before she placed her guitar aside. "Y-yeah. That was just one of Lola's favorites… Ya know?" she turned away and held the instrument, seemingly unsure if she should stop, but nonetheless, doing so. "I- uhh… don't remember it much. It's been years since I sung it… how about you step out for a bit so I can try and remind myself."

"You sure?" The young girl's gaze softened. "But Luna-"

"Please."

"But I wanna help you remember," she pushed forward, hold her arms in front of her. "I think you used to sing that song to me too after all."

And yet, Luna did something unexpected in reply. She grabbed hold of the child's hand and dragged her out of her room, before shoving her out and slamming the door shut.

" _Well that could've gone better…"_ Lana stood before the door in confusion. _"What the heck was that for?"_ she didn't know how to react. A part of her wanted to be angry at the sudden pushback- if she didn't wanna help, why didn't she just say so?! And yet, a stronger part simply caused her gaze to soften. _"She didn't seem sad or anything before… just… after she played that song…"_

"Hey tuts, how'd time with Luna go?" Mr. Coconuts glanced at the shut door, and crossed his wooden arms with a snicker. "From the looks of it, Luna didn't have much fun with it, huh?"

"I… I don't know…" Lana's voice trailed off as she looked away, allowing her arms to fall limply at her sides. "She sang a song Lola liked and then just… threw me out of your room…"

"Well shucks, sorry about that." Mr. Coconuts shook his head before pointing at the little girl. "But what'd you expect? Lola's gone and you just expected everyone to be fine with a crazy idea like yours?!"

"It's not crazy!" Lana shook her head and turned to the duo. At this point, Luan was looking away, with a downcast expression, while Mr. Coconuts had the same, wooden expression he always did. "We're gonna wake her up no matter what."

"I admire your determination kid, really, I do," Mr. Coconuts shook his head. "But I don't think anything we do can really change things."

Anger began to build in the pit of stomach. "Yes, it can! Lisa said so!"

"Ehh, Lisa's always wrong!" Mr. Coconuts' voice gained a critical heat. "You should just give up. Like Luan here. That way you'll save yourself all the pain that comes when you realize your sister's never coming back- _"_

"Shut up!" Lana spun her body and slapped the puppet. "Shut up! At least I'm trying to wake her up! At least I'm doing something!" Her voice filled frustration as she stared the puppet down. "All you've been doing all day is telling me not to bother!" She then reeled back her arm before slapping the dummy across the face, sending him flying across the hall.

"M-Mr. Coconuts?" Luan's eyes went wide as she stared at her puppet, the wooden creature limply rolling along, lifelessly.

"Luan," Lana let her arms fall limply at her sides. "What's going on with you? Even when Mr. Coconuts is sassy, he's never that bad!" She looked into her older sister's eyes. "Why are you telling me to give up?! Lola wouldn't want me to!"

Slowly, Luan began to step back, her eyes darting away from the little girl as she moved, uncertainty filling the air.

In response, Lana stepped forward. "Luan?" her voice became more forceful.

Yet, the comedian didn't answer, the words seeming to simply allude he tip of her tongue. She quickly turned and threw open the door to the bathroom, stepping inside and locking it behind her.

" _She ran?!"_ Lana slammed her hands against the door, trying to force it forward, yet Luan simply stepped back, though not letting go of the handle no matter how frustrated she got, the six-year-old couldn't break the lock.

" _I'm sorry, Lana…"_ Luan clutched the knob tightly, before releasing once she was sure Lana wasn't going to get in. Then, she slowly turned towards the mirror.

" _Haha!"_ the familiar sound of laughter rang through her ears for a short while, the image of a young girl coming into view.

" _All of those parties, the laughs… No amount of joy was enough to wake you up, huh?"_ her mind jumped back for a moment, to the other as she did her best to cheer things up, but to no avail.

" _There is no hope here… I thought there was."_ She leaned forward, before twisting and curling up against the sink. _"I'm sorry, but trying to wake her up is a fool's errand, and I should know."_

With that, she buried her face in her knees and began to cry, while Lana's bangs echoed in the air

* * *

"Luan! What's going on?!" The young girl pounded against the door, only to turn after a moment. _"First Luna tells me to go and now you're hiding from me?"_

She took a breath and shook her head. "The same thing that got Lynn and Lisa must be going on with them too…" she shook her head. _"That means that just asking them isn't going to help… I need to find out how to help them too._

She clutched her fist over her chest. _"Don't worry, we'll get Lola back, I promise."_

With that, she turned and ran, glancing at the Mr. Coconuts puppet and grabbing it. _"Might be useful, now where can I find Lucy?"_

12-9-6-5 23-15-21-12-4 2-5 5-1-19-9-5-18 9-6 12-21-3-25 23-1-19 14-15-20 16-12-1-25-9-14-7 2-15-20-8 19-9-4-5-19

 **A/N And there we go! My vacation's over and I finally got my good computer back! I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! As always, feel free to PM me, drop by the TLH discord and send ideas! Until next time!**

 **Songs Used: TheFatRat & Anjulie - Close To The Sun**

 **Review Replies (C12):**

 **Zero: Heh, I'm a gamer guy, and Lisa reflects a lot of my traits interestingly enough. So a part of her character here does come from my issues and interests.**

 **Tristen: Thanks!**


	14. A Silent Clown

**A/N Hey guys! As per the norm, I'm back and only slightly off today! I hope you guys enjoy this chapter!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Fourteen: A Silent Clown

" _She's gonna love this!"_ Luan's mind raced as she placed another neatly wrapped package on the ever-growing mountain of gifts. _"Lola should be home any minute now! So what if it's early morning? Discharges happen whenever!"_

"Is everything set?" Lynn Sr. stepped over, a soft smile having overtaken his stoic expression.

"Yep!" Luan dusted herself off and pushed up on her toes. "All that's left is Lana and Lola coming by to see!"

The man paused, wincing at the thought, before he sighed and looked into his daughter's eyes. "Luan… you are aware that Lola hasn't woken up yet, right?" His voice softened, breaking through the harsh air that had begun to form around him.

In response, the comedian leaned back and waved him off. "Of course I know!" she turned around and began to organize the gifts into a small pyramid. "But that doesn't matter. I heard that twins can feel each other's spirits or something, even when they're not close by! And since Lana's said she's gonna be back soon, I believe she's gonna be!"

Lynn stared passed his daughter, his mind arguing whether or not to attempt to argue against his daughter. He had held back with Lana and Lucy, though it was clear that the latter already understood the nature of their situation. But Luan was different, she was one of his older children. She should know better.

Alas, he simply sighed. Though he knew the truth, a part of him preferred to let her enjoy the thought. _"At least there's someone else who believes she'll be back…"_ He stepped away with that, leaving the young woman to her work. _"Maybe she does know too…"_

With that, she carefully finished setting the party up, careful to make sure that even the most miniscule of details was in place, before she motioned for her siblings to come by. Silently of course, she couldn't risk waking up Lana before it was time after all! A moment later, a distinct *Beep* *Beep* *Beep* rang out, followed by the muffled sounds of tiny footsteps.

Luan braced herself, a wide, brace-filled smile overtaking her face, before Lana appeared, sliding down the railing and flipping through the air for a moment, before landing, a certain pink box in hand.

"Surprise!" The Louds shouted in unison, excitement filling the air. Immediately after that, the Louds crowded around the young girl, each other them raising presents for her to open.

"Haha! Thanks guys! I'm so excited! What're we doin' today?"

Luan glanced to the side, allowing Lisa to come into her sight. "Well according to the schedule my mother and father so graciously prepared, we have a full day ahead of us. First we will indulge ourselves on our father's special Lynn-breakfast, before going out for some activities."

Lana smiled at the thought, before she clutched the present. "Awesome… but before we go do that stuff, I wanna give Lola her present."

" _Heh, of course,"_ Luan couldn't help, but chuckle at the thought, before she began to look around. _"The first thing she thinks of on her birthday is her sister."_

"Where is she?" The child asked, peering behind her family members as she did so.

" _Good question,"_ The comedian went, focusing attention towards the home's entrance in reply. _"I know Lola isn't in the house right now, but she's bound to walk through that door any second, right?"_

With that, Lori took a breath and stepped forward.

" _Ahh, of course, she's gonna introduce Lori, right?"_ Her eyes went wide, while her heart began to race. _"I know it wasn't planned, but I'm sure it'll be a fun surprise!"_

"Lana… I'm sorry, but… Lola didn't wake up," Her words seemed to echo through the once joy-filled air.

" _Lola didn't wake up?!"_ The young woman's mind began to race. _"T-that just can't be true right?!"_ She looked into Lana's eyes, hoping that she would argue against it- that Lana could feel Lola wake up at that very moment and counter.

And yet, she did nothing. She simply stood, the once excited light slowly dying in her eyes. Usually at her parties, she'd see that happen when a child didn't receive a gift they so desperately wanted. She could never understand why though, the kids would get annoyed by what seemed to be trivial to her.

But this time, she understood. She could feel the air chill around her as the waves of reality set in.

"But hey!" Lori did her best to reassure her sister. "That's not to say Lola's not gonna wake up later, right?" She took Lana's face in her hands. "Why don't you enjoy your birthday and tell her about it when she comes home?"

Her heart ached at the thought. _"Lola didn't wake up, and we set up the perfect birthday party for her…"_ She watched as her siblings stepped forward in an attempt to cheer her up, but to no avail. In that moment, her instincts kicked in; she couldn't bear to see a child so distraught on their birthday after all! "Yeah! Come on!" She grabbed one of the neatly wrapped gifts and shook it, sending small echoes through the air. "I think you're gonna love this one!"

*Smash!*

"Or not!" Luan chuckled, trying to lighten the mood.

Yet, the child's gaze remained stoic. Instead, she chose to focus on the small box she had brought with her- a special gift that Lola would've no doubt loved had she come by.

Throughout the rest of the party, Luan did her best to keep her chin up- acting as if nothing had happened- that it was normal for Lana to celebrate her birthday alone. Her acts that would normally impress both parents and birthday kids had no effect on Lana. Instead, she chose to focus on the single present she had prepared for her twin.

Hours later, Luan watched as Lana stepped out of their father's restaurant, and as she cleaned her hard work, watched Lori and Lana return without the gift, but without Lola either.

Her gaze softened, as a single thought crossed her mind. _"Lola is never gonna wake up…"_

* * *

" _Where the heck is Lucy?!"_ Lana's eyes darted from side to side as she stepped into the middle bedroom, puppet nicely secured to her back. "Hey Lucy, you in here?"

No reply, though she didn't expect one anyways.

" _She has so many hiding places, which one could she be in?!"_ She rubbed her chin and tapped her foot. _"Hmm, it's October, the spookiest month of the year…"_ She snapped her fingers and ran downstairs, quickly bursting through the door before looking over the edge and under the patio… only for a skeleton to come into view.

"G'ahh!" She went, only for her gaze to quickly move to the Halloween sign wrapped around one of its wrists. "Oh, it's just a decoration, dangit," She chuckled, before shaking her head. _"Stay focused, Lana! You need Lucy to help you talk to Luan!"_ She pulled herself up and thought again. _"What are some other dark places?"_ She looked to her left. _"The garage, perfect!"_ Before bolting over to it.

"Lucy, you in there?" She called out, expecting something- anything to tell her that her so-called spooky sister was being her usual creepy self. Yet, no reply came, leaving her standing in front of the garage with her arms held limply at her sides. _"Dangit… I need to find her. Lucy knows Luan the best out of anyone who isn't Luna… but where could she be? She has so many hiding places and I can't spend all day looking! They need me right now!"_

Her mind instantly jumped to Lynn and Lisa, the images of their frustration rushing through her mind once more. _"Luna and Luan are probably feeling like Lynn and Lisa… Lynn felt guilty which is why she avoided me, and Lisa was on the verge of giving up. But why did Luan decide to try and get me to give up, and why'd Luna kick me out?"_ She looked away, allowing a small hand to come into view.

Slowly, she reached behind her, taking hold of the puppet her sister held so dearly and ramming her arm in to make it talk.

"Hi, I'm Mr. Coconuts!" She went in a fake voice. "I'm Luan's best friend! You can ask me anything you like! I'm all for giving answers!"

Lana chuckled. _"I guess this is why Luan likes him so much,"_ She took a breath. "Mr. Coconuts, Luan and Luna don't wanna talk to me right now, and Luan's trying to get me to give up on Lola, do you know why?"

"Sorry toots, I dunno," the puppet shook his head. "Remember, I'm just you talkin' to yourself!"

"Right…" Lana shook her head. _"I'm goin' crazy."_

"But hey, that doesn't mean I can't help ya out!" She continued, the puppet coming ever so closer to her. "After all, it's nice to talk to someone, right?"

" _True,"_ She took a breath. "All right then, where can I find Lucy?"

The puppet rubbed its chin for a moment, before snapping its fingers. "Well, doesn't Lucy like to work in the vents? She's probably in there ignoring everyone while she works!"

Lana's eyes went wide in realization. "Of course! Lucy always hides from us so she can work without us bothering her!" she pulled her hand out from the puppet's back, before securing him once more. _"That means that I have to find my own way in, here's to hoping I can! How the heck does Lucy even get inside? Those things are so high up!"_

Within moments, she rushed into Lynn and Lucy's room- the latter thankfully having left earlier for practice- before she jumped on top of the coffin bed and bounced off its lid, boosting her into the vent. _"Well I guess this explains how Lucy does it,"_ she pulled herself in and shouted. "Hey Lucy! You in here?!"

No response, not like she expected one of course. _"I have to find her. And if she's in the vents that means she can be anywhere in the house!"_ She gulped, before beginning to crawl through the passageway. _"Everyone's counting on me to wake up Lola, and I need everyone's help to do it!"_

* * *

Lucy Loud loved her secret dark places. When one has to contend with ten siblings, it becomes difficult to find a nice, private place to work and enjoy oneself. Thankfully, Lucy wasn't picky. To her, the vents were homely, she could go anywhere she wanted in the home- listen in on whomever she decided and do whatever she please, all away from the prying eyes of her family. So what if they were dirty, old and in need of severe repairs? That stuff simply added to the allure.

But, most important to her, was that fact that so long as she avoided the entrances everything would be nice and quiet-

"Lucy!" Lana's voice echoed through the tubes, filling the Goth Girl's ears were her shrill cry. "Where are you?!"

She paused, her mind jumping to the question of 'should she reply?' Though her body's refusal to move forced her non-answer. _"Why did Lincoln have to convince me to help her? The spirits said that my influence will only slow down her progress…"_ Her gaze faltered. _"Maybe if I don't say anything, she'll just give up and leave."_

And in reply, a loud *bang* echoed through her ears. No doubt the sound of someone jumping and landing on one of the bends in the pipeline.

In an instant, Lucy's heart began to race. She slammed her notebook shut and rolled onto her knees. _"Why am I running?!"_ Her mind jumped at the thought. Normally when one of her siblings decided to join her in the vents, she'd stay in place, acting as a sort of guide to show the way out. And yet she found herself crawling through the vents, doing her best to put as much space between her and her sister as possible.

"What the-" Lana pulled herself onto the line Lucy had just been working. Quickly enough in fact to see a tuff of black hair to come into view for just a short moment. "Lucy! Wait! I need your help!"

" _I promised I'd help her… Dangit Lincoln, why'd you make me?!"_ She sighed, before glancing back. "Lana, I'm busy! I'm looking for a better secret dark place!"

"But Lucy! You promised! This is about Luan!" Lana's voice began to fill with desperation. "She locked herself in the bathroom and isn't talking to me anymore!"

Slowly, the Goth Girl came to a stop, allowing her little sister to catch up immediately after. "You ok, Lucy? You never run when someone comes in the vents to find you."

" _The spirits warned me not to… But…"_ In response, she shook her head. "Nothing, I just felt like I need to move to a better spot is all."

For a moment, the younger girl considered prying further- to find out the real reason for why she had decided to run. And yet, she simply shook her. _"Luan's issues are more important right now. I may have everyone else behind me, but I need to know why she's trying to discourage me… and I wanna help her too."_

"So, what's going on with Luan?" Lucy asked, leaning back against the metal wall and pulling out her notebook.

Lana looked to her older sister, before rubbing the back of her head. "I dunno. She's been, well, discouraging me," she held her arm. "I told both her and Luna about my plan to wake up Lola, but she just insulted me and left. Then after Luna kicked me out of their room, started telling me everything's useless!"

"Then what happened?" The Goth leaned in forward, curiosity filling her gaze.

"She locked herself in the bathroom," The younger girl reached back, pulling out the puppet. "I knocked off Mr. Coconuts and suddenly she stopped talking to me too…"

"I see," She shut the book. "And you want me to help you get into the bathroom so you can talk to her?"

"Yeah," Lana clasped her hands together. "Please Lucy! I wanna know what's going on with her! I wanna help!"

"Sigh, fine," With that, the spooky sister turned once more. "Well then, follow along, the bathroom is this way."

And with that, the duo began to crawl through the house.

 _ **Meanwhile...**_

Luna stood before her door for a moment, uncertainty filling her body. _"Why the heck did I kick her out like that?! She didn't even do anything!"_ Her gaze faltered, before she turned around and grabbed her guitar. _"Lola loved that song… I learned how to play it just for her too…"_ A warm heat began to overtake the room with that. Ordinarily, Luna would gripe and moan about her latest song attempt- after all, it was all a part of the creative process!

And yet, her mind paused, holding onto the image of a young child wrapped in a pink dress, while her sister, clad in blue, held her close. _"Lola was… a tough one, but she loved it when I sung her to sleep…"_

Slowly, her hands moved to her strings, her mind going blank as she began to sing. "Wait a sec and let me catch my breath, remind me how it feels to hear your voice…" Slowly, warmth began envelope her, as if some sort of magic had begun to overwhelm her mind and heart.

"Your lips are moving; I can't hear a thing…" She paused. _"Lana tells us that you're still here, that you're gonna wake up. But how? She can't talk to you, and we can't hear you! But why does she think so?"_

"Living life as if we had a choice…" Her voice fell low, as if unable to believe what she was saying. _"It's not true, is it?"_ She looked aside. _"Lana is doing whatever she can to wake her up, even if she doesn't know if it'll work…"_

She continued. "Anywhere, anytime, I would do anything for you! Anything for ya!" She slowly began to tear up. "Yesterday, got away, melodies stuck inside your head! A song in every breath!" She closed her eyes, allowing the soft words of a little girl rush through her mind. _"Sing, me, to sleep, now. Sing, me, to sleep! Won't you sing, me, to sleep, now? Sing, me, to sleep…"_

With that, she hopped to her feet and pulled out her phone. "Hey Sam, I got an idea for a song. I need your help with it."

And a moment later, she was out the door, guitar secured tightly to her back.

* * *

"We're here," Lucy crawled passed a small opening in the vents, allowing Lana to peer into the room. From what she could see, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, besides Luan sitting curled up in the corner next to the door and across from the toilet.

" _Well… at least Luan's still here,"_ Lana's heart sank at the sight, though she immediately steeled her nerves. Luan needed her, now wasn't the time to get cold feet. And so, she nodded at her sister. "Thanks Lucy," before she pushed herself forward, and lined her feet up with the vent gate."

"Wait," The Goth Girl grabbed Lana's shoulder, before she glanced away."

"Huh?" The plumber looked on in confusion. "What's up?"

"Are you sure it'll be a good idea to disturb her? I mean she… she ran away for a reason," Lucy's voice was low, as if she was unsure of what she was saying.

For a moment, Lana stared into Lucy's eyes, a begging gaze breaking through the jet-black locks that she used to hide her true emotions. _"Lucy never talked to me about this… she just joined… If everyone's hurting like Lisa and Lynn…"_ she pulled back and sat up. "Lucy, tell me the truth. Do you want to help me with Lola?"

The older girl hesitated in reply. "Yes, I do."

She asked again, her voice softening. "Then what's wrong?"

"Nothing," She snapped away, shaking her head as she did so. "Forget I said anything."

For a moment, she considered doing just that. _"But, Lucy only gets this worked up when she knows something that she doesn't wanna say,"_ she took a breath and leaned in closer to her sister. "Lucy, what did the spirits tell you?"

"Nothing!" She hastily answered, before recomposing herself and calmly continuing. "They refused to tell me anything."

That was a lie and Lana knew it. For as long as Lana knew her, Lucy would always get answers. She always held the power to ask about the future- to influence events yet to come. And yet, she fought against the idea refusing to speak despite having already said too much.

And so, she leaned forward, prodding her sister to answer. "Please Lucy, tell me the truth."

"I don't know if you are able to handle it… the spirits were hesitant to tell me much…" Lucy refused to look Lana in the eyes. "They said that it'd hurt you more than help."

Yet, the young girl did not relent. Instead, she pushed forward, prodding her to reveal her hidden secrets.

And so, she shook her head. "The spirits were cryptic when it came to her condition. They said that… well, there wasn't much they could do, but that Lola did have a chance to wake up."

"She has a chance?!" Excitement filled her voice.

"Yes, there is a possibility, but there is a condition that you have to fulfill…"

"What is it?!" she leaned forward, forcing the Goth sister onto her back. "I'll do anything for her!"

"You have to learn how to live life without her," Her voice filled with a solemn air.

Her eyes went wide. "W-what?!"

"They also told me that my involvement would only hinder your progress…" She continued, before shaking her head. "I'm sorry."

Lana sat by in shock. That… that couldn't be true, could it? Her goal was to wake up Lola! She didn't wanna have to live without her any longer! They were born together and always promised to keep it that way! And so to have to learn to live without her… that was just impossible!

"Lucy…" Lana leaned back and looked away, uncertainty filling her voice.

The Goth perked up, unsure of what else to say.

"I don't believe it."

Silence overtook the vent with that.

She looked up, into her older sister's eyes. "The spirits are wrong! I know that I can wake up Lola! And when she wakes up, everything can go back to normal! I don't need to learn to live without her, because she's gonna be back before we know it!"

" _The spirits say otherwise…"_ Lucy didn't answer, instead choosing to look away in response.

"Lucy…" Lana continued.

The Goth turned back, though only half-way.

She took a breath. "Do you still want to help me wake her up?"

"Despite what the spirts said, you still want to try to wake her yourself?" Lucy's voice filled with curiosity.

She nodded. "Everyone's said that I have to wait, that I have to learn and stuff, but there's nothing they can teach me!" She climbed to her knees and held her fists close, as if preparing to run. "I don't care what the spirits or doctors say, I'm gonna wake her up myself!"

"Sigh, I can't lie, I find your determination rather… admirable. The spirits told me that they were proud of that," With that, she learned forward, over the railing. "Luan's been taking this harder than she let on."

Lana rolled her eyes, though did breathe a mental sigh of relief. "Yeah Luce, I kinda figured that out. Ya know, with the puppet talking and stuff."

"When people like Luan have trouble expressing themselves, they might turn to things like puppets to express themselves better."

Suddenly, the realization dawned on the young girl. She nodded. "I see, thanks Lucy," Luan had said those things for a reason, and it was her duty to find out why. "So what do you thinkn' I should do?"

"Give her back Mr. Coconuts," She frankly replied. "Even though she sounded harsh while she was in control of him, it was how she actually felt and you need her to talk to you if you want her help and to make sure she's better."

And so, Lana nodded and took a breath, before kicking forward, forcing herself into the locked bathroom.

In an instant, Luan stumbled back in surprise. "W-what?!"

Lana dusted herself off and turned to her older sister. "Luan."

The older girl opened her mouth to speak, but no words seemed to come out. It was as if she simply didn't have a voice.

" _It's just like what Lucy said,"_ Lana pulled Mr. Coconuts out and offered him to her sister. "Come on, I know you need him."

Slowly, the clown crept her arm closer to the puppet, before carefully easing her hand into it.

"Ugh, finally! Back where I belong!" The puppet stretched.

"Luan, please, tell me what's going on?"

The puppet and Luan quickly turned to each other, before Mr. Coconuts pretended to check his watch. "Oh, would you-"

"Luan, stop it!" Lana cut him off. "Lola as much as she didn't like to admit it, enjoyed your jokes! She would hate to see you like this! So why are you trying to hide from me?"

"Look, toots, it's none of your business," The puppet spoke in a harsh tone. "Luan here just has some issues that don't concern you."

"Luan," Lana's gaze softened. "We're sisters. Growing up you always wanted to be there for us…"

The comedian turned away, unwilling to look the little girl in the eyes.

"Heck, I remember when you would get us to stop crying by telling jokes! Why'd you stop?! Yeah, your puns were terrible, but they were so bad it was funny!"

"Because they're useless," Mr. Coconuts bowed his head. "A while ago I thought that if I made as much happiness and joy as I could, then everything would turn out fine."

The plumber leaned forward in curiosity.

"Remember your birthday party?" The puppet turned back to her, raising an arm to point as he did so.

"Yeah?" Lana raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"I made it thinking Lola would be back," Her voice filled with pain. "I had so much planned for you two… I was so hopeful that you were right!" Luan bowed her head. "But I was wrong."

Silence overtook the duo with that, before Lana clutched her fists and looked up at her sister. "No Luan, you were right."

She glanced at her little sister, a frail beacon of hope filling her eyes.

"I know that Lola will return!" She continued, warmth filling her voice. "I know it's hard to believe, But I can feel her, she's still with us!"

"But how do you know, toots? She's been gone for months now! And that coma doesn't seem to be letting up!"

Lana took Luan's free hand in both of hers. "Because my twin is a fighter. Even when everything seemed dark, she never would give up!" She looked into the comedian's eyes. "Luan, do you wanna make her laugh again?"

Luan's gaze softened, before she dropped Mr. Coconuts. "Yes, of course I do!" her voice was soft and yet, filled with desire.

Lana took a breath. "Luan, I know that Lola will wake up, and when she does, she's going to love all the parties you'll make for her."

"Thanks," Luan smiled.

"Wanna help me wake her up?" The little girl continued. "I'm putting together the best act I can, to do it and win what she couldn't."

With that the clown threw her arms around her.

"Count me in."

And nearby, Lucy cracked a smile. "Maybe she'll be able to pull this off after all," Though she couldn't help but look away. _"Just this once… I hope the spirits are wrong."_

25-5-19, 9-20 12-15-15-11-19 12-9-11-5 5-22-5-18-25-20-8-9-14-7 9-19 3-15-13-9-14-7 20-15-7-5-20-8-5-18 14-15-23.  
14-5-24-20 21-16: 13-18. 3-15-3-15-14-21-20-19 7-15-5-19 20-15 2-18-15-1-4-23-1-25!

 **A/N And there we go! I hope you guys enjoyed! It looks like everyone's coming together to help Lana succeed! Here's to hoping that Lucy's fortune telling abilities are wrong!**

 **Song Used:** **"Sing Me To Sleep" By Alan Walker**

 **Review Replies:**

 **Tristen: I'm glad I can keep surprising you!**


	15. What Would Lola Want?

**A/N Hey guys! I'm back, and this time with a new chapter of this story! I guess you guys didn't like the last chapter much... but I hope I did better with this one! I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Fifteen: What Would Lola Want?

Hours seemed to pass after that, with the sisters simply holding onto each other, allowing a warm, loving heat to envelop them. Yet, as the saying goes, "all things must come to an end," and so they let go, allowing them to look into each other's eyes.

From what Lana could see, Luan's expression had loosened up, a soft, exhausted smile having overtaken her, something she never thought she'd be happy to see again. "Heh… ya know Lana, it's nice to hug ya…"

The plumber blushed slightly. "Thanks Luan."

"Sorry for what I said earlier," She rubbed the back of her head. "I just… I didn't…"

"Hey, I get it," Lana pulled herself closer, pressing her cheek up against Luan's stomach. "But next time, please don't do that. I know Lola's going to wake up soon after all! I don't have any doubts about it!"

Luan nodded. "You got it!" She spoke with a jovial tone, similar to what she used to have.

With that, a warm determination filled Lana's voice. "Now, let's get out of here. Lola's not gonna wake up unless we all work together after all!" She broke the embrace and hopped to her feet, quickly stretching and holding her back. _"Man, I don't get how Lucy does it! It's so cramped in there, and she's even bigger than me!"_

The comedian pushed herself up, before picking Mr. Coconuts off the floor. "I'm gonna go get to work in a few, go anything in mind for waking her up?"

"The pageant stuff I told you about," Lana held her fists up at her sides. "Right now, I'm getting everyone together so I can put together an act that'll win the one Lola wasn't able to! That way, she's gonna wake up!"

" _Well… I guess that makes some sense,"_ Luan nodded in reply. "Got it, I'll see what I can come up with to help ya out, all right?"

And in reply, the plumber nodded. "Got it, thanks Luan!"

"No probs," She gave a small, brace-filled smile, before stepping out of the bathroom and heading into her room, leaving Lola behind to take a breath.

" _Welp, that's another sibling down,"_ Lana let out a breath, her hand easing its way over her chest. "Don't worry Lola, everyone's coming together to wake you up. Soon, I'm gonna win that pageant and we'll be able to celebrate together!"

With that, she raised her chin and made her way out of the bathroom.

For a moment, she stood at its door, allowing the strange atmosphere of her home to take her in. Now, it was normal for the Loud House to be relatively quiet despite everyone being home from school for the night, but… it was still rather off-putting.

" _The sooner you wake up, the sooner everyone gets back to normal,"_ She took a breath and began making her way back to her room. From what she could see, everyone had their doors closed. She didn't know why, but it felt off to see them like that, though she didn't let it get to her. _"They're probably just trying to get things ready and stuff…_ "

Yet, as she turned to step into her room, her eyes fell upon the door of her older brother. In a moment, the image of him slamming the door and denying her rushed to the forefront of her mind. _"Lincoln didn't wanna help…"_ She slowly found herself turning to face it. _"It wouldn't hurt to ask him again, right? Yeah, he said no the first time, but…"_ she gulped, before simply raising her fist to it.

*Knock* *Knock*

Slowly, the young boy opened up, his weary gaze falling upon his little sister. "Oh, hi Lana… What's up?"

The plumber poked her foot at the floor while holding her arms behind her. "Sorry for buggin' ya Link…"

He raised an eyebrow at that.

"And I know you said you didn't wanna help me with my plan and stuff…"

He could already tell where this was going. "Yeah? What about it?"

Lana held her fists at her side, prodding Lincoln to act. "But almost everyone else is helping me!" Desperation filled her voice as she leaned forward, forcing him to take a step back. "Please Lincoln, I need your help too! I can't win the pageant without you! Even with Lindsey's help!"

" _But what would Lola want me to do?"_ The thought cut across his mind, forcing him to look aside, before shaking his head. "No Lana, I… I just can't," His immediately spitting out. _"She'd hate me for life if I let her perfect pageant record go down the tubes! Even if it was to help her… right?"_

"But Lincoln," She tried to continue, only for Lincoln to grip the side of his door.

"Lana, I said no!" And with that, he slammed the door shut, forcing her to stumble back and fall on her butt.

She let a breath in defeat, before pulling herself up and rubbing her behind. _"Well, I guess that could've gone better…"_ She shook her head. _"I don't get it, I know he wants to see Lola wake up, but why doesn't he wanna help me?! It's not like he's got his own idea for waking her up, right?"_ She rubbed her chin for a moment, before shaking her head again. _"Ya know what, I'll just try again later…"_ She turned and glanced at the clock. _"Lindsey should be home by now. Maybe we can work on the homework together so we can do more prep work. She wants to start practicing soon."_

* * *

Lincoln held the doorknob, making sure that Lana wouldn't attempt to push her way in to confront him over his choice, though he knew she wouldn't try that… right? After a moment of waiting, he could hear her soft footsteps echo from the other side, signaling that she had given up and returned to her room, allowing him to finally let go and breathe a sigh. _"I can't, I just can't. Lola would hate me. She's going to be hurt and the last thing she needs is to find out that the life she knew isn't waiting for her."_

He then shook his head and paused. "I know you're there Lucy. What is it?"

Slowly, the young girl pushed her way out of the vent and landed behind him. "I just came to tell you that Lana convinced Luan to help her…" She rubbed her arm. "I still think that you should think about-"

"No Lucy," He glared at her. "I told you think before," A solemn tone overtook his voice. "From what Lisa told me, Lana would be better off if we all just… let nature run its course."

"But you can't possibly believe that, right?" The Goth Child raised her eyebrows in surprise. Truth be told, she sort of believed the same thing. Given what the spirits had told her, all this path would do for her is give her more trouble and heartbreak… Yet, Lana had already shown her determination, and her desire to get everyone together to help her.

"Yeah, I do," He shook his head. "I talked to Ronnie Anne about it earlier."

Lucy looked on in interest. "What'd she say?"

"She agreed with me. Said that there are some things should just be left in God's hands," He turned to face her. "It's better that Lana realizes that there's nothing to be done on her own rather than… ya know…" Yet, the thought crossed his mind. _"But would she really be better? If there's even a small chance…"_

And So, Lucy simply nodded. "I get it, Lincoln, but you know she's not gonna give up, right?"

"Of course she's not," Lincoln shook his head. "But, maybe if I don't help her, she'll decide not to go into that pageant and she won't get hurt by the other contestants."

"I guess that makes sense," she turned and began to climb back into the vent. "But Lincoln, I-"

"No Lucy, I won't keep thinking about it. That's final."

"Sigh, all right Lincoln," With that, she disappeared from sight, leaving only a whisper in her wake. "Just, please think about it again. It would mean the world to Lana to have both you and Lindsey helping her win."

For a moment after that, Lincoln stood in silence, his thoughts beginning to cloud his mind once more. There wasn't much he could do about his current situation. Lola was as good as gone at this point. Even Lisa said that she was no longer in a coma, but rather a persistent vegetative state- of which her chances of recovery were minimal.

Yet, a part of him did want to help- to say 'forget the odds' and take Lola's fate into his own hands. _"But, what would Lola want me to do? It's hopeless, right?"_ He looked aside, before looking up, out the small, rounded window that filled his room with light.

Soft, sunset rays dripped through as the star began to descend below the horizon. _"I finished my homework already… and it's not that far of a walk… it wouldn't hurt…"_ He hesitated, before shaking his head and stepping out of his door. And a moment later, he was outside, walking along a path he had tread countless times before.

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

"Hey Luna," Sam carefully secured her guitar, before giving a small strum to check its tuning. "I got here as soon as I could, what's going on?" She looked up to her friend and tilted her head.

"Nothing much," Luna shook her head, before she too got herself ready. "It's just, I got an idea for a song and I wanna practice it before I forget," She rubbed the back of her head. "Sorry for the short notice."

Yet, Sam simply waved her off. "Nah, no need. I get it," She smiled. "Start us off, I'll follow your lead!"

And with that, the musician nodded, before taking a breath and strumming. "When you feel it's hopeless, when you think you're lost, oh," She eased her words along, careful to speak softly and slowly- as if trying to reassure someone. "I will take your hand and we'll rise up from the dust, oh!"

Suddenly, her voice began to pick up speed, as she closed her eyes. "Here we go, go, go, let us heal and grown. You won't be alone, we're unstoppable," A warm heat filled her breath, as soft tears began to fill her eyes. "Don't be afraid to show what we're goin' for, this is what we know!"

Luna then spoke up, her voice filled with energy, as Sam went to match it. "Here we come back to life, we're still breathin'. Standing up, everybody's gonna see it," The blonde smiled at her partner, while the brown-haired girl simply looked aside.

"All you need to know is that we're holdin' on, even if we fall, we will rise up and we'll follow the path that we believe in," Luna's strumming picked up, her fingers arguing with what her mind felt. "No we're not gonna stop till we reach it! All you need to know is that we're holdin' on, we'll rise up from the dust and claim the throne!" With that, she took a breath and sighed. _"I know you'll wake up, lil' sis. I know you will."_

For a moment after that, the duo stood in the silence of the studio, before Sam placed a soft hand on her shoulder. "Hey Luna… who was that song for?"

She rubbed the back of her head. "I dunno really… I was just sittin' around tinkin' of last practice and it sort of came to me."

"Luna, you're a terrible liar," Sam gave her a warm smile, before placing her hand on her chin and turning Luna to face her. "Come on, what's up?"

"Really," Her voice trailed off. "It was just…"

"Was this about your sister?" She cut her off with a soft, caring tone.

For a moment, Luna considered attempting to continue the lie. Heck, after enough time Sam would probably give up and assume that she was telling the truth! After all, maybe creatives do have random bursts of inspiration leading to hyper-fixation! Yet, Luna hated lying to Sam, and Sam knew this.

And so, the musician simply sighed and nodded. "Yeah… I came up with this after Lana asked to help her with a project."

"She asked you for a song?" Sam raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Kinda," She went in reply, before putting on a sheepish expression. "She actually just asked for some song ideas, and when I started singing… well…" She rubbed the back of her head. "I don't know what came over me, but I kicked her out of my room…"

"That doesn't sound like you?" She tilted her head. "Usually, you just… try to make yourself smaller and tell people to go away, not outright kicking someone out…"

"I know," Luna rubbed her arm. "But... I just don't know what came over me…" She face palmed. "Dangit, Lana probably hates me now! I said I'd help her and then kicked her out of my room!"

"Haha, come on Luna, you know that's not true!" Sam placed a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "She knows you well enough to understand," She then tugged her along, motioning for her to take a seat in one of the nearby chairs, which she did.

After that, Luna took a breath. "I know Sam, I know, but… I guess, I just don't think what Lana's doing is gonna work."

"Oh?" Sam raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Yeah," The musician shook her head. "After everything that the doctors and Lisa told us, I know that It's not gonna work. I mean, if you really think about it, how does winning some random pageant connect to waking Lola up?" She held her fist over her heart. "But… a part of me doesn't wanna give up. I wanna have some hope that… it'll work, ya know?"

She nodded in understanding, though she didn't know just what to say next.

"Sam… do you think I should help her?" Luna turned to her companion with a begging gaze.

"Luna, you know I can't answer that," She shook her head and spook with a calm, caring voice. "The only one who can do that is you."

Yet, Luna simply looked into her companion's eyes, urging her to answer the question.

"Luna, you know Lana's desperate and that she's not gonna give up, right? After everything I've heard you say about her, she doesn't seem like that type."

"She's not," Luna gave a small chuckle. "I remember one time she fought us all just so she could go dumpster diving even though she had a cold. We had to pull out the straight jacket just to stop her."

Sam couldn't help, but give a small chuckle as well. "That just proves my point," She leaned back. "And since you know that, she's going to try this project of hers until she succeeds."

"True…" Luna went. "And I know she's desperate, but her idea just doesn't seem like it's gonna work."

"Yeah? And?"

"But I still don't know what to do!"

The blonde girl sighed. "My only counter to that is, then why play into it? If it's as hopeless as you make it out to be, why play into it?" She turned and looked into Luna's eyes with a solemn gaze. "Really, the question you should be asking is, if she succeeds or fails, will it do her any good?"

For a moment, Luna hesitated. What harm could come from this project? Not much, right? She was just going to change her life to win… But what would happen to the old Lana? Would she just go back to normal afterwards? And what will happen if she fails?! Lola's not gonna wake up either way, right?

She gulped. And then, if she fails, what's next? Would Lana just spend the rest of her life trying to wake up her twin?

And so, Luna looked aside. "I guess I only have one choice if I want Lana to realize the truth, huh?" With that, she turned to Sam and nodded. "I'm gonna help her. I need to finish this song."

Sam nodded in reply. "All right then," Before she secured her guitar and strummed. "Let's do it!"

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

" _Welcome to Royal Woods General Hospital…"_ Lincoln read as he stepped under the metal canopy that marked the entrance. Despite the small attempt to lighten the mood, the sign did nothing to ease the harsh chill he felt. Instead, he took a breath and stepped forward, entering the building.

For most, this hospital was just that, another place for the sick to get better and for some poor souls to wait out their final moments, hopefully in as little pain as possible. Yet, to those who's loved one's rested here, it was a machine of torment- a place where uncertainties abounded and time seemed to hold still.

And to Lincoln, this place felt like the latter. His gaze couldn't seem to focus on anything as he moved along, making his way through the brightly lit and sterile white halls of the building, on his way to a small room set aside just for a certain young girl.

"Hey Lola," He greeted, hoping to elicit some sort of response, only to be met by the whirring of the machines strapped to her to keep her stable.

He sighed. _"Figures… why'd I even come here? She's not gonna wake up…"_ He stared at his sister, his eyes glossing over her soft features, seemingly locked in time right before him. _"Why does she wanna do what you did?"_ He looked away. "I don't want her getting hurt like you did…"

He closed his eyes and focused, hoping to receive a response, anything to tell him what her opinion would be.

Yet, he received nothing.

" _I don't know why I came here,"_ He let out a breath in defeat. "The only thing here are the consequences of my carelessness."

" _Thank you for helping me read, Lincoln! You're the best brother ever!"_ He snapped back to reality. "I'm sorry…"

With that, he turned, allowing a certain young girl to come into view.

"Hey Lincoln," Her voice was meek, no doubt filled with nervousness.

Lincoln narrowed his eyes at the young girl, his voice filling with annoyance. "What are you doing here, Lana?"

"Well, uhh," She rubbed the back of her head. "Can't a girl come visit her twin while she's in the hospital?"

"You know that's not what I meant," He sighed and shook his head. "Shouldn't you be home practicing or something?"

She paused, before raising her finger and opening her mouth.

"The answer is still no," He shook his head.

"But why, Lincoln?!" She outstretched her arms in desperation. "You always help! I know that I'm not Lola, and the last time we did this was to win some Dairyland Tickets…"

"It's not that," He cut her off, shaking his head as he did so.

"Then why are you refusing to help me?" Her voice heated up, filling with uncertainty. "Everyone else is helping me! Lori, Leni, Lynn, Lisa, even mom! But you… you're the only one who said no…"

The boy paused, his gaze softening, before he turned and motioned towards the bed. "She's why."

"B-but Lincoln! I'm sure Lola wouldn't mind! This is to wake her up after all!"

" _She didn't get what I meant…"_ He sighed. Lana and Lola always needed things to be broken down for them to understand. He never faulted them for it though, after all, the same needed to be done for him at that age.

And so, he shook his head. "Lana, I don't want you getting hurt like Lola did."

"But I'll be careful!" She leaned forward, trying to prod him to change his mind.

"The life you're going into has danger in it," He glanced at Lana. "Did Lola ever tell you what she had to do to make sure she would be able to even participate?"

"She tried," Lana scratched the back of her head. "But, I never paid much attention to it…"

"You got Lindsey to help you, right?" He asked, eliciting a nod from the girl. "Lola would have to defuse every single trap she set up, just to be able to compete. Many of which coul've put her out of commission for months!" he mentally kicked himself. "And I just let her deal with them on her own!"

"Lincoln, I'll be careful! Really!"

"How?" He glared into her eyes. "Over the years, Lola made countless enemies, and because you'll be competing as her, their anger and hatred will come for you!" He turned away and shook his head. "They'll see you as another one of them and won't hold their punches!

Lana hesitated at that. Truth be told, she never really considered the other contestants in her plan. She was supposed to beat them in order to wake Lola up, but how? Even with the best training in the world, these girls were crafty, they've had to compete in tough conditions for years! And she, whether or not she wanted to admit it, simply was nowhere near their level.

"Lana, I don't want to help you because I'd never forgive myself if you got hurt," He turned and looked into Lana's eyes with a begging gaze. "Lola was a part of this all. As clean as she made herself out to be, she wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty," He shook his head. "And now look at where she is?" He turned and shook his head. "I should've stopped her. I should've stopped her…"

For a moment, the duo fell silent, Lana unsure of how to answer her brother.

Slowly, the young boy approached the young girl and gripped her hand. "I'm sorry Lola…"

"Lincoln…"

"Lana, why do you think that Lola's gonna wake up soon?"

"I don't, it's just, I feel like she is- that soon, she's gonna jump out of that bed and wonder why we haven't been sleeping by her side while she's recovering.

"Oh…" Lincoln sighed. _"She isn't from what Lisa said…"_

"Look, I know the life Lola lived was full of hard work and stuff, but I have to win, it's the only way I'm sure she'll wake up!" She helped her arm. "Asking for everyone's help made me realize just how much you all were hurting," Her eyes filled with determination. "I want to help them all, I'll do anything!"

Lincoln hesitated, before sighing. "I don't want you to get hurt."

"I know, but I'm serious about this. I'm gonna wake her up!"

" _Knowing Lana, she won't give up…"_ The words echoed through her mind, causing him to sigh. He knew what Lana was like. When she set her mind to something, very little could stop her, and from what he could tell, she was determined to get his help. "I need a minute."

For a moment, Lana wanted to ask, "Why?" Yet, something urged her against it, prompting her to instead nod in reply, before stepping out of the room, leaving Lincoln alone with her twin.

"What would you want me to do?" He whispered. "I don't want Lana getting hurt like you did, but if she goes on like this, she just might…"

He looked into her closed eyes. Even when comatose, she looked her best. Lincoln couldn't help, but chuckle at the idea. "What should I do?"

" _Up to you, Lincoln,"_ A soft voice filled his ears. And when he closed his eyes, he saw her again, clad in the same pink dress she always wore.

" _But if I do, she's gonna het hurt!"_ he looked away, uncertainty filling his thoughts.

Lola chuckled, before stepping over to him. _"Lincoln, you know Lana's not gonna give up. She's got everyone else to help her too! Really, what you should be asking is whether or not you wanna be involved with what comes next,"_ She smiled and brushed her hair aside. _"Lana will eventually forgive you if you still say no."_

With that, Lincoln let out a breath. Everything she said was true, now all that was left, was for him to make his choice.

" _One more thing…"_ Lola whispered.

Lincoln leaned forward.

" _Thank you for helping me learn how to read, I love you!"_

With that, Lincoln slowly opened his eyes. _"I love you too, Lola,"_ With that, his gaze faulted, glossing over his comatose sister's features once more, before going. "Lana, I know you're there."

"I'm sorry, Lincoln…" A tiny voice replied.

Slowly, he turned and stepped over to his sister. "Let's go home, I'm done here."

"Will you help me?" Lana asked, hope filling her voice.

And in response, Lincoln simply nodded.

9-20 12-15-15-11-19 12-9-11-5 5-22-5-18-25 9-19 18-5-1-4-25 20-15 23-9-14, 2-21-20 23-9-12-12 12-15-12-1 13-9-14-4 20-8-5 19-20-1-14-4 9-14 20-8-9-19 20-9-13-5

 **A/N And there we go! Chapter 15 is done! I hope you guys enjoyed! Heads up, I'm probably not gonna be updating in 2 weeks due to the fact that the update day comes after the day I'm scheduled to take my MCAT exam.**

 **Anyways, as always, feel free to read, review and leave ideas! I always consider the ideas I receive!**

 **Song Used: "Rise Up" By TheFatRat**


	16. Working Together

**A/N Hi guys, I'm back from taking my MCAT. I won't find out the results until the 14** **th** **… of April. I hope I did well. Anyways, here's the next chapter! I thank Foolsgold Fenrir for looking this over! And I thank Renteka-Bond for their assistance! I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Sixteen: Working Together

"So, you really managed to get everyone to your side, huh?" Lincoln held his arms behind his head and looked up, towards the blackening sky. At this point, the sun was blinking over the horizon, its light dying with the end of the day. Though it had only been a few minutes since they met each other in that hospital bedroom, time seemed to slow down for them, their minds too focused on the matter at hand to notice anything else. "You're really serious about doing this, huh?"

"Of course I am, Lincoln," Lana spoke softly, her eyes falling upon the damaged Michigan sidewalk. "Yeah… Lola could be loud and annoying… but she's my twin. And I know that as much as she'd hate to say so, she'd do the same thing for me."

Lincoln cracked a small smile. "Well that's good, I guess. Still I'm surprised everyone was just so willing to go along with ya."

"Not gonna lie, a part of me was surprised too. Lori and mom didn't really seem like they wanted to, but said yes anyways. Leni jumped at the idea of making a new dress," She chuckled. "Luna wanted to, though…"

Her brother raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Though what?"

She shook her head. "After a song she kicked me out of her room."

"You might've just hit a nerve or something… how about we talk to her later about it?" He motioned with his hand.

"I think I'd like that," The young girl gave a small nod. "Luan, Lynn and Lisa needed some convincing, but they all came on board eventually. Really… the only one I haven't asked to help out is dad and Lily…" She scratched the back of her head.

"Why's that?" Lincoln raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Lana immediately turned to her brother. "Well… because Lily's a baby," She rubbed the back of her head. "As for dad… well, it's not that I don't want him to help, it's just… I just haven't gotten around to asking, ya know?" She looked forward. "Especially with trying to get everyone else and stuff."

The boy shrugged. "All right then I guess. But if we're gonna have you enter that big pageant, we're gonna need dad's permission. While Lola was the one who actually applied and made sure she would qualify, dad did all the behind-the-scenes stuff for her."

She raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"

"Paperwork. Lots and lots of paperwork," Lincoln simply shook his head. "I never thought that much work would have to go into these things! Though, now that I think about it, it makes sense."

" _Well then, I guess I'll have to cross that bridge later then… there's not much I can do about it at the moment,"_ She let out a breath. "Well all right then, Lincoln. Thanks for tellin' me."

With that, they turned and stepped into their house, allowing a certain rocker to react.

"Oh! There you are, Lana!" She cheered.

"Yeah, what's up Luna?" Lana looked on in confusion.

She scratched the back of her head, closed her eyes and gave an embarrassed smile. "Sorry about kicking you out earlier, I was just thinking through some stuff," She held up her guitar. "But, I'm back and I'm willing to help out too!"

Immediately, Lana threw her arms around her older sister. "Really?! Thank you Luna! Thank you!"

"Well, now that it looks like all are sibs are on board after all. So what's next?" Lincoln leaned in and tilted his head in curiosity.

 _ **The Next Day…**_

"All right, now that we're all here, it's time to get to work!" Lana cheerfully stepped forward, before turning towards her siblings. "Does everyone know what they're doin'? Any questions?"

"Yes," Lynn raised her hand, before pointing at a certain young girl standing next her brother. "Why's she here?! It's her fault that Lola's knocked out in the first place!"

Lindsey glared at the athlete, though one glance from Lana was enough to make her look away.

"If anything, we should-" She tried to continue, yet, Lana violently shook her head. "No, no, no Lynn! That's not what Lola would want!" She turned to Lindsey. "She always said that she wanted to beat her opponents, not that she hated any of them. And I think that still applies to her."

"Are you sure though?" Lori scratched the back of her head. "I mean…"

"Yeah," Lana stared into her eyes, her gaze softening. "Lindsey and I talked and she wants to help Lola too," She stepped over to the red-haired girl. "Plus, she's competed side-by-side with Lola for years. If anyone knows how she behaves and reacts on stage it's her."

Lindsey gave a small smile at that. As much as her bruises hurt still, it was still nice to hear the one who dealt them speak so highly of her.

Lori turned to the duo, before glancing away and taking a defeated breath. "All right then, fine," She crossed her arms. "I'm willing to let her help out as long as she behaves herself."

"What?!" Lynn outstretched her arms in surprise. "Why Lori?!" Before pointing. "This whole mess is her fault! If she hadn't-"

"Enough!" She glared at Lynn. "Lana trusts her, and as much as I really don't want to, if she says she's doing this to help Lola, and Lana went out of her way to get her on board, then there's no reason I see to say no."

Lynn huffed and crossed her arms.

"Don't worry," Lindsey went. "If I do anything you don't like, you can beat me up too…" She rubbed her arm and bowed her head.

"Too?" Luna raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Yeah…" Lindsey's voice fell quiet. Before she rolled up her sleeves and gloves- both placed so perfectly as to hide the black marks. "Lana beat me up for what I did…"

Lynn raised an eyebrow in surprise, before turning towards her sister. "I didn't know you had it in ya…"

"And you're still willing to help her?" Leni's voice filled with surprise.

Lindsey nodded. "I deserved it," She looked into Leni's eyes. "Lola saved me from the chandelier that crushed her, so the least I can do is try to wake her up!" She then looked to Lynn, her voice picking up as a begging hope filled her gaze. "Please… I wanna make things right!"

As much as Lynn wanted to say no. As uncomfortable it made the Loud sisters to have her helping, given the circumstances, to decline the offer would be to harm Lola's chances. And so, Lynn nodded. "Fine, but I still don't trust you," before she turned and crossed her arms.

"All right then, anything else?" Lana glanced at her siblings and newfound friend.

No reply. Aside from that conflict, everyone on else was already on board.

And so, Lana turned and climbed on the makeshift stage Lola used to use for her own practice. "So, where do we start?"

"First, with this!" Leni pulled out a light blue pageant. "While Lola was getting used to pageant stuff, I made her a bunch of dresses for her to pick out. She hated this one, but I think it goes well with you!"

A hint of dread overtook the young girl. Ever since she was young, she swore off wearing anything that would even remotely resemble a dress- it was just not in her nature! And yet, if she was going to wake up her twin, she had to sacrifice some of her pride to do so.

And so, she nodded and donned the dress. It fit her well enough- though given its age it was tight in some ways. "I guess this works out."

"Next, think fast!" Lindsey shouted, before pulling out an egg and lobbing it at the young girl, who could only reply by holding up her hands as it nailed her in the head. "Ooo, not quite, Lana."

"What the heck?!" Lynn flared her arms, before pushing up her sleeve.

"Lynn, no," Lincoln raised a hand to her.

The athlete instantly, pointed at her freshly egged sister. "But she just-"

"It's fine, Lynn," Lana wiped it off. "I wasn't expecting it is all."

"You sure?" She glared at Lindsey, while giving her little sister a concerned look.

Lana nodded. "Yeah."

"Well, I guess that was an egg-cellent start to this training! Haha!" Luan punned, eliciting a groan from her siblings, but a chuckle from Lindsey.

With that, the young girl stood up straight. "Let's go!"

"Not with the egg," Lincoln replied. "That was to get you prepped for what we're about to do."

The young girl tilted her head in confusion.

"Err, what?"

* * *

"Keep yourself steady!" Lincoln commanded. "Keep that tushie in! Pageant girls keep their heads up high!"

Nearby, Lana held her arms out, desperate to keep herself stable as she balanced a stack of books.

"Plus, remember, you have no shame! You're going to be out there doing your best!" Luan raised a fist for emphasis. "If you have nothing to be ashamed of, then you can keep your head up high!"

" _Keep my head up,"_ She took a breath as she stepped along the stage, Her goal: Lori, holding a paper Mache trophy. _"I have to keep myself-"_

Yet, before she could even finish her thought, Lindsey pulled out her next prop, a potato, which she tossed on the stage in front of Lana. Of course, being so focused on keeping herself balanced, she easily stepped on the vegetable, causing her to foot to roll and send her falling back as well as the books to fall on top of her. "Welp, that could've gone better."

"Still not paying attention," Lindsey climbed on stage and pulled her onto her feet. "I remember the time that happened to me. Worst failure of my enter career right there."

"It was?"

"Heh, I remember that one, Lola wouldn't stop talking about it for weeks!" Lucy cracked a smile. "She asked if some sort of spirit did that to you too, though she was disappointed when I told her no."

Lana nodded. "I have to pay attention…" She rubbed her arm and took another breath. "All right then, what's next?"

"Back to the beginning, and be ready for anything this time around!" She pointed at the edge of the stage.

And in reply, Lana nodded. "Got it!"

* * *

"Easy," Lana tried to zig zag along the stage. "I can do this!"

Lindsey turned to Lynn. "Hey… you're the sporty one, right?"

The athlete glared at the pageant girl. "Yeah? Why?"

She leaned down, and pulled out a small ball. "Because, I want you to know those books off her head."

Instantly, Lynn's eyes went wide. "You want me to do what?!" She grabbed for Lindsey and held her up by her collar. "Why I outta-"

"Lynn, please, listen," She went, doing her best to look the young woman in the eyes.

She answered by staring at her.

"Lana's too focused on keeping them on her head," Her voice fell meek. "We have to remind her that her goal isn't to keep them on her head, it's to stand up straight and keep moving."

Lynn stared into Lindsey's eyes, before taking hold of the ball and lobbing it at her sister.

In an instant, the books fell to the ground and Lana fell forward, un able to compensate for the sudden surprise.

"Dangit!"

Lindsey sighed. "You have to remember to focus on the goal! You're too focused on balance."

Lana nodded. _"Don't focus on balancing the books, just focus on the end!"_

* * *

"I never wanna be, another gear in this world's machine, so promise me that we will be happy and free!" Luna sung off key, doing her best to mess with the young girl on stage.

"Ugh!" Lori covered her ears. "Lincoln, why the heck are we putting ourselves through this?!"

"Because one time, Lola had to! Some butt competitor decided to leave her little sisters behind the curtain, so that when everyone else went to perform, they'd scream and cry, throwing off the act! We need Lana to be ready for something like that too!"

Nearby, the girl-in-training winced, closing her eyes, but holding her arms outstretched. _"Come on! I need to focus. It doesn't matter what everything sounds like! We're going to succeed!"_

Nearby, Luan grabbed a banana and peeled it, before stuffing her ears full of the fruit while tossing the peel on the stage… which Lana proceeded to step on and slip, causing her to fall.

"Dangit…"

The next run failed because she didn't realize that there was an edge, and in her attempt to dodge the traps set, ended up falling off stage.

Another failed due to her growing hunger causing her to turn towards lunch… and subsequently slip on a piece of bread.

Then when she wasn't looking, Leni cleaned the surface of the stage, causing her to slip again and get caught in the curtains.

Hours passed with these, failure after failure filling her time. _"I knew practice would be hard, but this is… well, ridiculous! How am I supposed to do this?!"_ Her mind began to hum with the thought as she continued to fail. Seemingly despite everything she did, she still couldn't cross that first threshold. How could a task seemingly so simple be so difficult to pull off?!

" _This is hopeless!"_ Lana laid on her knees in exhaustion. "This whole day passed and I still haven't been able to get across this stupid stage!" Tears began to form in her eyes. Though Lynn cheered.

"Come on Lana!" She punched the air. "You have to keep going!"

" _But how?!"_ She forced herself up, her body stiffening in exhaustion. "Every time I try something trips me up!"

Lincoln chuckled, before nudging Lindsey. "Did you really think that Lola was able to pull off everything she did without falling on her face a few times? No, she had to fail a lot before she could win as much as she did!"

Lindsey followed that up with. "Trust me! Keep going! If you keep trying, you'll succeed eventually!"

"Come on! Try again!" Lori went. "We believe in you! Lola's counting on you!"

" _Lola's counting on me…"_ She forced herself up. _"I'm doing this for her, that means I can't give up yet,"_ She took a breath and held out her arms, readying herself for the next run. _"If I fail, Lola won't wake up and all of this would've been for nothing!"_ Then, she took a step forward. _"When we get to the real deal, then I'm not gonna get any redo's! I have to get through this now!"_ Luan then tossed a banana in her way.

Calmly, Lana took her step, feeling the object, before tapping it aside and taking the step.

The air filled with tension as she pressed onward.

Lindsey threw another potato in her way, which she simply stepped over. Lucy followed it up by sending her bats in order to trip her up.

Yet, did not relent. Though the idea of getting bit by a bat scared her, and yet she would not give up. _"I have to reach the end. Lola's counting on me!"_

And so, Lynn lobbed a football, it's rubber flying so close she could feel the soft breeze it made as it passed her face. Yet she didn't flinch.

"She's really gonna do it!" Luna cheered, raising her fist in excitement. "Go Lana!" Before sending a shockwave with her guitar, which didn't phase the girl

Her heart raced as she stepped. "One, two, one, two."

Lori outstretched her hands, ready to receive her sister.

And then.

"Ouch!" Lana fried, a sharp pain rushing through her foot. Despite the practice she had gone through. Despite all the struggle she endured, this was too much for her. She fell back, her butt hitting the stage as the books fell on top of her, signaling her defeat. "Dangit!"

Lindsey stepped over and let out a disappointed sigh. "Well Lana, that was pretty good of an attempt, stopped short by you just not expecting a low down trick like that."

"What are you talking about?!" She pushed herself up. "Who puts a tac out like that?!"

"Pageant girls do," Lincoln stepped over and shook his head. "Lana, throughout her years of practice, Lola was never afraid of the big things. Big things lead to someone getting caught easier."

"It was always small things that people would use," Lindsey continued. "During practice is where I'd use big things..."

Yet, as they spoke, Lana's mind tuned them out. This was the same lesson they had gone over before. _"I have to pay attention. Lola was able to and so I should be too!"_

She slowly pulled herself back onto her feet. "It doesn't matter, I get it," she shook her head. "Again! I have to go again"

"Actually, it's getting late right now," Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. "You've been working on this all day ya know."

" _Dangit, wasted a whole day then! Why am I so worthless! I should've learned it quicker!"_ She grimaced before letting a breath out in defeat. "Fine then I guess."

"Hey, Sis, don't worry," Luan places and hand on her shoulder. "I know it's hard getting used to this stuff, but it'll all pay off in the end, all right?"

Lana hesitated, and feigned a smile, before shaking her head. "All right then I guess, we'll just have to get back to it tomorrow.

Lindsey nodded. "You got it!" Before she turned and began to make her way home, leaving the Louds to return to their home as well.

" _Day one of practice and I couldn't cross a single stupid stage!"_ Anger rushed through Lana's body as she kicked her bedframe, instantly causing her to reel back and hold herself. "Dangit. Why am I so useless?! Lola would do everything and anything she could to help me and I can't even get across a makeshift stage for her! What kind of sister am I?!"

" _A terrible… useless one that is,"_ She looked aside, her gaze falling on her computer.

*Ring!* It went, prompting her to hop in the chair and answer. "Skippy?"

"Hey Lana, what's up?" he asked, curiosity filling his voice. "You've kinda been giving me the cold shoulder at school and stuff…"

" _Yeah, because if I'm gonna be a pageant girl, I have to live the pageant life…"_ She hesitated, "Sorry about that, but I'm busy ya know."

He looked at her in confusion. "Busy? Doing what?"

"Stuff," She calmly answered. _"Yeah, like being a terrible sister."_

"Oh…" His gaze faltered. Despite his young age, he still understood what it meant when someone didn't give a straight answer. He quickly perked up. "Well, if you're not gonna be busy soon, I was thinking that we could go bike riding with the others! It's gonna get too cold to splash around in the mud and stuff, and I wanna try out those rockets you gave me. I'm sure that I'll be able to handle 'em this time!"

For a moment, Lana considered the idea, to relent and have some fun with one of her best friends. And yet, she found herself closing her eyes and shaking her head. _"If Lola had to get down and dirty to help me, she would. I'm not doing this for myself, I'm doing this for her."_

And so she shook her head once more. "No Skippy, sorry."

"Aww, come on! You haven't hung out with us in so long! Everyone always loved the crazy messes we'd make and fix after."

" _Perfect, prime and proper girls don't get themselves dirty and associate with those that do,"_ The thought crossed her mind. Lola always complained about how she would mess up their room- about all the dirt she would track as she tried to get her pets in line.

"No Skippy, I'm sorry," She spoke in a solemn voice. "Maybe some other time!"

With that, she ended the call, leaving her room in silence. _"I never thought I'd ever do that to him…"_ Her chest panged at the feeling. She had had a crush on him for years at this point, and yet she pushed him away, keeping him at a distance so that his ways wouldn't tempt her. _"Lola's more important right now. My sister first, then I can try to patch things up with him… hopefully."_

And so she leaned back in her chair and let out a defeated breath. _"I don't get it! I'm doing everything I can. I got everyone to help me! Even Lincoln! And yet I can't do anything right…"_ She bowed her head. _"Why am I always the screw up? I just… I'm nothing like you Lola, and if today's anything… I might not even be able to win a single contest for you!"_

With that, she rested her weary head in her arms. _"I need to get across that stage…"_ She closed her eyes trying to rest, and yet found herself unable. Her mind kept wandering back to the stage. She was so close! So what if it was late? They didn't have that much time before the contest, right? So what if it was a few months away! There wasn't any time to waste!"

"Light's out everyone!" Lynn Sr. declared, before killing the lights to the upstairs.

Normally, she'd comply with the order and head to bed. After all, tomorrow would be a new day, and with it, she'd have the ability to do whatever she needed. But, it just wasn't right. She didn't finish anything today! She had to at least get across that stage!

And so, she took a breath and grabbed a random bag filled to the brim with random toys, tacks and lego bricks, before she climbed out the window and dropped into the front yard. At this point, everyone had turned into their room for the night, leaving the only lights being the moon and the streetlights.

" _Perfect, that means I can do this all without worrying that someone's gonna be going to be watching me,"_ With that, she grabbed the bag and tossed it, sending all the random toys and implements scattering across the stage, and in the darkness of the night, she couldn't see where they landed. _"This is exactly what I need."_ With that, she grabbed a pile of books and dropped them on her head… only to immediately trip and fall on her face. _"Dangit!"_

Unbeknownst to her, someone else had a similar idea.

" _Come on…"_ She went, her mind rushing in nervousness. _"I have to-"_

"Lana?"

Instantly she turned around. She never expected to hear anyone at this time of night, let alone him. "S-Skippy?! What are you doing here?! Don't you know how late it is?!"

"I could say the same thing to you," He chuckled. "I wanted to see you after you… ya know…" He motioned in the air. "Hung up on me… again."

She looked away.

"What's with the dress? It's not like you," He tilted his head as his eyes took in her soft, moonlit features.

Lana hesitated her answer. She refused to tell him for so long because she was worried about what he'd say. He never seemed like the type to wanna hang out with the pageant type. And yet, he still came out in the dead of night because of his worry for her. And so, she took a breath. "Skippy… I'm trying to win a beauty pageant."

For a moment, the young boy took in the news, before giving a small chuckle. "Well that explains why you were sitting with Lindsey and stuff."

"You're not mad?"

"Course I'm not," He shook his head. "Just surprised," He went, before offering a hand to her. "But, hey, we all have our secrets, right?"

"Sorry for giving you the cold shoulder, a part of the training is to avoid dirty things like… well what we used to do…" Shame filled her voice.

Skippy nodded. "Well then, if you're serious, let me help ya, after all, it's not like we haven't hung out like this before!"

For a moment, she thought of denying the idea, after all, it was so late! They had school in the morning! And yet, he smiled, urging her to accept.

And so, she shrugged. "Well… I guess it beats staying up alone. All right."

With that, he held her hand and nodded, before they got to work.

20-9-13-5 6-15-18 19-15-13-5 1-12-12 14-9-7-8-20 16-18-5-16 12-9-11-5 9-14 11-1-18-1-20-5 11-9-4

 **A/N And there we go! With all this COVID-19 stuff, I expect to be able to update more often now, hopefully. I hope you guys enjoyed!**


	17. Lana's Practice Time

**A/N Happy Easter everyone! Man, I planned on having this out last week, but I got distracted again. Oh well, I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Seventeen: Lana's Practice Time

"Come on! You can do it, Lana!" Skippy's voice echoed through the nighttime air as he raise a fist up in excitement. "Don't give up!"

Nearby, Lana found herself stepped side to side, her feet carefully dodging the numerous obstacles set out just for her. _"Steady, steady!"_ Her heart raced, while her eyes focused ahead.

It was midnight at this point, with the full moon casting its milky rays upon the stage. If the light, Lana's blue dress seemed to become translucent, with small star-like sparkles shimmering around her.

It was as if she were a princess, and Skippy was a pauper.

The young boy watched as she carefully maneuvered the trap-laden stage, her feet kicking along in hopes of reaching the other side. _"I can do this! I can do this! I just have to get to the other side!"_ She harshened her gaze, determination rushing through her.

The moon had risen to its highest point, and though she wore a long, fluffy dress to practice, chills rushed down Lana's spine. _"I can do this, I can do this! I just have to get to the other end of this stage!"_

Skippy leaned forward, in anticipation rushing through him.

Lana grit her teeth. Though her legs wobbled in exhaustion, she didn't care. She was going to get to the end of this course no matter what! _"Just a few more steps and-"_ Then, suddenly, her foot caught onto a loose rag. She stumbled back, desperate to regain her balance, but to no avail. She slipped and fell back onto her butt.

"Dangit!" She slammed her fists against the wooden stage, just barely missing one of the tacks set out as traps.

Skippy instantly rushed to Lana's side, wasting no time throwing his arms around her. "Lana, are you ok?!"

"No!" She shouted, forcing him off. "I just can't get through this stinkin' course! Every time I try something always trips me up!" She forced herself up and flared her arms in frustration. "Why can't I get this one thing done?!"

The boy looked at her in confusion. "Uhh, what are you talking about?"

"Skippy, I've been trying to get this done all day! Before I start anything else, I need to get across!" She let out a breath in defeat. "I don't get why I can't do it though… I want to cross, but I just can't…"

For a moment, he looked into her eyes, desperation filling their soft blue irises. He wanted to say something, but found himself unable to respond.

"What am I doing wrong?! Shouldn't I be able to get across by now?!" She turned away, wrapping her arms around her legs, and beginning to curl up

Skippy took a seat next to her and pushed back, looking up at the stars. "Hey Lana…"

She wiped her tears and glanced at him. "What?"

"Do you… ya know, wanna do this?" He put his arms behind his head.

She looked at him in confusion. "Course I do. I wanna get my sister to wake up and I'll do anything to do it!"

"Yeah, I get that. You've mentioned it like, twenty times by now. "He rolled his eyes and leaned one arm. "But I mean, do you really wanna be a pageant girl?"

Lana paused. "Of course!" She wanted to say. And yet, she found herself stopping. After everything she had done, no one had asked her if she really wanted to. But it was meant to be, right? She had to want it if she wanted her sister back! So what? Pageantry wasn't that bad, after all, her sister had the best taste! She was better than dirty little her

Yet, he simply gazed back at her, prodding her to answer him. "Come on, do you or not?"

Her eyes fell in disappointment. "Not really. If anything, I hate this dress, I can't move in it! And these shoes? Oh man, it feels like I'm gonna fall on my face any moment!" She pulled out her leg for a moment, exposing a set of teal heels, only to put it away. "Heh… I don't know how Lola put up with it all…"

"Maybe she was just really excited for it…" He lied down with his arms outstretched.

In reply, Lana laid next to him. "I just… I wanna win. I wanna wake her up, but… this is the first thing I'm supposed to do and I can't even do it right! Why am I so useless?! I'm a horrible sister! I'm the worst! I'm-"

Skippy immediately rolled and turned her to face him. "No! No you're not! You're the nicest, best girl I know! And you're the only one I know that doesn't have cooties!"

Lana tried to look into his eyes, but found herself drifting off towards the starry sky above. And so, she rolled onto her back. "I wonder if Lola would like to be here…"

Concern filled the young boy. Though he didn't truly know her that well, he could tell that there was plenty on her mind. And so, he pushed himself up and dusted himself off. "Ya know, Lana…"

She looked up to him.

He offered his hand to her. "My dad always says that if you're having trouble, maybe it's a good idea to work with someone else."

Lana looked at him in confusion. "Err, what?"

"Come on, you haven't stopped talking about getting across this stage for the pass, I don't know, an hour or so? Maybe you should take a break," He leaned forward, prodding her to accept.

Yet, she glanced away. "No Skippy, I have to keep trying. I have to-"

In reply, he placed his hand over hers. "Come on, it wouldn't hurt."

Lana could feel herself blush at his tug. Thankfully, the darkness of the night hid this from him.

Slowly, he held her hands, before shaking back and forth. "Come on!"

Slowly, Lana found herself joining in his antics, swinging back and forth with all her might, before taking a step back, her heel slipping up a bit on a rug. Yet, Skippy instantly pushed forward, wrapping his arm around her back to catch her. "Don't worry, I got you!"

The young girl pushed forward, countering by doing the same. "Sorry… still not used to walking in these…"

"Don't worry about it," He chucked, before taking a step to the side. "Let's see if you can reach the end of this stage with me."

Lana gulped, before holding on tighter. _"I can do this, I can do this. Lola's life depends on it!"_

With that, they stepped softly to the side, easily dodging some of the smaller toys and trinkets set to mess them up. That is, before Lana's foot fell upon a metal tack, sending pain rushing up through her body. _"Guide dangit!"_ She winced.

"Don't worry, I've got ya!" Skippy smiled as he looked into her eyes. "I've got ya."

They stepped again. This time, Skippy's foot got caught in a loose lace, causing him to lose his balance. But Lana stood firm, pulling him back before continuing onwards. Back and forth they stepped, seemingly waltzing in the silence of the night, as the milky rays of the moon illuminated their dark stage. Their audience was thousands of blades of grass.

And yet, it seemed as if they had practiced for countless hours. They pushed and pulled against each other, spinning and twirling as they stepped. All the way until…

"We did it..." Lana's voice filled with surprise.

"See, what'd I tell ya?" Skippy gave a soft chuckle. "Sometimes if you wanna get something done, don't keep trying until you get it right. Ask for help!"

"Yeah, but I've been asking for help so much! Everyone's getting me to do this, but I'm still messing it up!" She looked away in shame. "Lola would never ask for help…"

"But you're not Lola," The boy went. "You're a kind girl, who we could all rely on for help if we need it. Now it's my turn to pay that back."

" _I'm not Lola…"_ Those words echoed in her mind, before she looked up, towards the star-filled sky. "I guess that makes sense…"

"So what do you wanna do?"

"Keep practicing," She turned and stepped over to the start of the course. "With your help."

And in reply, Skippy followed.

 _ **The Next Morning…**_

"Ahh," Lana pushed herself out of bed and glanced around, half-expecting to find herself resting on the grassy dirt of their front yard, only to instead realize that she was back in her room. _"What the?"_

She glanced down, she still wore the same blue gown she had been practicing with. _"It wasn't a dream, ok…"_ She pushed herself up and climbed out of bed, wasting no time rushing down the stairs.

"Hey kiddo, what's got you up so early?" Lynn Sr. glanced back at his daughter in confusion.

She tilted her head in confusion. "Early, what're you talking about?"

"It's eight o'clock," He turned away and got back to cooking. "On a Saturday."

Lana's eyes went wide. "Man… I am up early…" She shook her head. "Well then, I guess it's alright. More time to practice…"

"Practice what?"

Her blood ran cold. _"I never told dad before I started practicing…"_ She slowly turned to him, awkwardly rubbing the back of her head as she did so. "Oh… nothing much, dad."

He paused. "Does it have something to do with Lola's old pageant stage? I saw it outside when I went to bring you in doors… along with that boy."

"Boy…" her mind jumped back to the night prior, only to turn around and find Skippy, snoring softly on the couch. "Right…"

"Lana, you know I've told you not to stay up late playing around in the mud! You know it's dangerous when no one's watching you two!" His voice filled with concern.

"I'm sorry dad… it's just, I was trying to get across that stage all day and I didn't wanna go to sleep until I succeeded!" She stood up straight and rubbed the back of her head.

He turned and took a knee in front of her. "I get that, trust me, I do… What were you trying to do, and what's up with the dress?"

She held her arm. "Dad… I wanna enter the regional beauty pageant."

The man stopped. His eyes staring passed his daughter.

"D-dad?" She nervously went. "Are you ok?"

He shook his head and stood up straight. "Yeah, just surprised is all," He stepped back to the stove and continued cooking. "Y-yeah, I'm fine… How long have you been getting ready?"

"A few days now… I've gotten everyone to help out… even Lindsey Sweetwater."

He stopped, the soft sound of sizzling eggs filling the air as he stared ahead. "Lindsey… Sweetwater?"

" _I shouldn't have mentioned her…"_ Lana's chest puffed up in fear. "Yeah… she said she was sorry for what happened to Lola and wanted to help me wake her up!"

"And when were you planning on telling me all this?" He spoke softly, his hands continuing to cook.

Lana rubbed her shoulder in embarrassment. "Well… soon. I wasn't sure how to tell you this stuff…" She harshened her stance. "But I know I need your help too! Lincoln told me you used to do all the background stuff to make sure Lola would be able to play!"

"And you want me to do the same for you?" The man whispered, his voice lowering, seemingly in disappointment.

Lana gave a small nod. "Yeah..." She clasped her hands together. "Please dad, please! I need to wake up Lola!"

For a moment, the man looked back, giving his daughter a begging gaze, before returning focus to the meal at his fingertips. "I'll think about it…"

" _Well… I guess that's the best I'm gonna get for now."_ She nodded. "Thanks dad."

With that, he grabbed a set of thongs and made a plate. "Here, why don't you eat some breakfast? You're gonna go back to practicing soon, right?"

"Yeah… whenever Lindsey gets here," Lana took the plate and walked away. "Thanks Dad!" leaving Lynn Sr. to clutch his thongs. "Dangit…"

 _ **An Hour Later…**_

"And done!" Lana cheerfully went as she twirled and landed on the edge of the trap-laden stage.

"Wow, I can't believe it," Lindsey chuckled. "Last night, everything was trippin' you up and now you're dancing on that stage like it's nothing!"

She awkwardly rubbed the back of her head. "Well, thanks. But I couldn't do it without Skippy's help," She motioned towards the boy. "We stayed up all night trying to get it right!"

The pageant girl glanced at the young boy. A hint of contempt filling her eyes, before she refocused on Lana. "Well that's good then. Step one is done."

"So then what's next?" She leaned forward.

Lindsey took a breath. "Next it's time to actually go through the pageant."

A few minutes later, Lana was dressed up in a full pageant gown, glancing back at herself. "Err, what's with the accent on the behind?"

Lindsey shrugged. "Something about pageant judges liking that sort of thing."

Lana shook her head. "Well ok then, where do we start?"

Lincoln stepped forward, pulling out a familiar pink book. "Remember the Miss Prim and Perfect pageant? We're gonna have to review it all, and then some."

She gulped at that idea.

"Don't worry, we're here to help you!" Luan waved. "If showing off is what you've gotta do, you can count on your siblings to help!"

* * *

"Step one, the introduction," Lindsey stepped on the stage and began to wave. "Every pageant starts off with an intro where all the contestants walk in and show off," She pointed at Lana. "During these, Lola would show off just how good she was by being cute."

"And how'd she do that?"

"I think I can answer that," Lori stepped forward, before falling to the ground. "Oops." Yet, she instantly struck a cute pose with her finger over her mouth. "Like this."

Lana tilted her head in confusion. "By falling down and trying to look cuter than Lily?"

"Poo-poo!" The baby flailed her arms.

"Sorta," Lincoln rubbed the back of his head. "Remember the 'work it' thing I told you about? She would work it, while also making sure that she was adorable. Maybe giving bright smiles-" he paused, before pulling out a set of false teeth. "Oh yeah, speaking of teeth, we need you to put this in your mouth."

She looked at him in confusion. "Err, what is it?"

"Teeth gaps may be cute, but you don't wanna make it seem like you don't take care of yourself. So-"

Yet, before he could even finish, Lynn snatched the false teeth from his hands and shoved it in Lana's mouth. "And boom, there ya go!"

"Bleh! These taste like plastic!"

"That's because they are plastic." Lisa explained, before Lucy appeared at her side.

"There's another thing that I am aware you keep on your person," She then grabbed her little sister's sides and shook, causing a random assortment of tools to fall out. "Your equipment."

Lindsey pinched the bridge of her nose. "Lana, I thought you knew that you had to stop carrying this stuff around!" She kicked a wrench. "Perfect pageant princesses don't work with these things!" She paused. "How the heck did you even fit them in there."

"I have my ways…" She looked away and held her arm. "Sorry… it's just, I'm a handyman, it's my job to be ready for anything!"

Lincoln let out a breath. "Lana, you wanna get Lola to wake up, right?"

"Yeah…" she nodded.

"And you wanna win, right?" Lindsey added.

She gave another nod.

Lincoln and Lindsey stared at each other, before the former finished. "Then you're not going to be a handywoman on that stage. You're going to be a pageant girl."

Though their words were true, she hesitated. For years, she had carried a myriad of tools in her clothes, always ready to come by and fix whatever broke in their home. And yet, she would have to let go- to leave something so important behind? She simply let out a breath, and nodded.

"Don't worry," Skippy stepped over and collected the items in his arms. "I'll make sure to keep these safe!"

"Thanks Skippy…" Her voice trailed off. _"Keep it together Lana, you're doing this for Lola. It doesn't matter what you give up as long as she wakes up."_ She covered herself slightly, crossing her arms as if she were nude. "So… what do you guys want me to practice?"

In response, Lindsey pushed her onto the stage. "Walk, wave and work it!"

And in response, Lana began to step along doing just that, careful to dodge the small traps set along just for her.

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

"Rita, how long have you known that Lana's trying to enter the tournament?" Lynn Sr. stared at his wife, frustration filling his voice.

"A while now…" She sighed and closed the book she was studying. "I wasn't thinking much of it since I read that this is just her way of coping."

He shook his head. "I get that, back now look at her," He motioned to the yard. "Now everyone's working together to try and have her win," He let out a breath. "I knew we should've sat down and talked to her about it…"

"But how would she understand? She's only a child, Lynn," Rita came up on her husband's side. "Lola's not going to wake up… Everyone else has accepted that except for her…" She looked to her husband. "What do you think we should do next?"

Lynn Stepped over to the window and glanced out, watching as Lana desperately practiced the art Lola had mastered. "I think it's time we had that talk with her. She's gone far but… this isn't healthy. She's not moving on."

"Are you sure?" Rita clutched her book. "I read that maybe twins are an exception. That they're able to feel each other's presence even when they're not close by!"

"Rita…" He let out a breath and embraced his wife. "You as well as I do, know that Lana needs to move on. She's not focusing in school. She's quiet and distracted at the dinner table. She's probably locked herself in her room multiple times just to get everyone to work together. He pushed her back. "It's time to put a stop to this, before it gets even more out of hand."

Rita let out a breath and nodded. "I suppose you're right."

"Good. Let's do it tonight, after dinner."

And all Rita did in reply, was nod.

9-20 12-15-15-11-19 12-9-11-5 20-8-5 16-1-18-5-14-20-19 23-9-12-12 8-1-22-5 1 19-1-25 8-5-18-5 1-6-20-5-18 1-12-12

 **A/N Man, I'm having so much trouble these days, but I won't give up. I made a promise years ago that no matter how difficult a story becomes, I won't give in. I'll be aiming to start weekly updates next week! And I'll start replying to reviews again too.**

 **As always, feel free to drop ideas and review! Happy Easter!**


	18. An Unpleasant Truth

**A/N Man, weekly updates are somewhat foreign to me now. It's been so long since I planned and wrote something this quickly. Thankfully, I still remember how to do it! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy! I thank my friends for giving me some ideas to finish on time!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Eighteen: An Unpleasant Truth

The rest of the day seemed to simply fly by for Lana. Though she did find it difficult to keep up with everything her family and friends had decided to through her way, she managed. And so, with a small twirl, she danced along to the edge of the stage, before taking one final bow. "And done!" She raised her head. "How was it?"

"From what I saw, it was pretty good," Lindsey gave a proud smile while crossing her arms. "It looks like you might be ready for that comp soon after all.

"Yeah, I'm surprised you got the hang of the ribbon dance so quickly," Lincoln scratched the back of his head. "It took Lola weeks to even get the first spin right!" he then rubbed his chin. "She was like four though…"

Lindsey nudged the boy. "Now Lincoln, come on, she hasn't mastered it. All she's done so far is twirl around and dodge all the traps we set up for her," She then turned towards the pile of their sisters, all of them exhausted from the work. "Thanks for setting those up guys. Lana wouldn't have been able to do it without you!"

Lori raised a lazy thumbs up. "No problem," before allowing her arm to lazily fall on top of Lynn's face, who was just too tired to bother pushing it off.

Skippy then stepped over and nudged Lana. "I knew you could do it!"

Lana gave a small blush, while rubbing her shoulder. "Aww, it was nothing. Thanks for helpin' me out."

"Anytime Lans," He waved her off. Nearby, Lindsey shook her head in disappointment, before letting out a breath and shrugging.

"Kids! Dinner time!" Rita called out, prompting everyone to stop and get up, before rushing back into the home. And as they did so, Lana reached back, towards a certain ribbon keeping her hair tied in a ponytail, before whispering. _"Don't worry Lola, we're almost there! I just have to finish training and I'm gonna see you again!"_

Dinner that night was rather upbeat, with the siblings and their guests talking about just how much had been done. Sure, Lana had not truly learned the ribbon dance, but she had shown that she would be able to at least perform something.

"It's a bit funny how well things went," Lincoln chuckled.

Lana tilted her head in confusion. "Why do you say that?"

"Well, last time, I had to convince you not to carry all your tools in your pageant gown, but now, you did it without me even tellin' you!"

"Well, what can I say? I'm taking this seriously!" Lana shrugged. _"I'll do anything to get Lola back. She's my better half!"_

Skippy then pulled out a wrench. "And don't worry, I'll keep your things safe until after that pageant."

" _Well, at least they're with someone I trust,"_ Lana let out a defeated sigh.

"So what else have you all been up to lately?" Rita raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

"Oh, nothing much," Lori shrugged. "We were all helping Lana get ready for that pageant so, we really didn't do anything else.

The woman looked around, cracking a small, relieved smile. "You're all serious about doing this, huh?"

Luna nodded. "Yeah, anything to bring back that little dudette!"

Lucy pulled out her spell book. "The spirits say that this could work, we just have to try."

Lisa, leaned back in her chair. "I concur, it seems as if we may be able to influence her condition with our given behaviors, though that may be hard to manage. I do believe we will see her again soon, especially if Lana succeeds in her current endeavor."

Chatter soon overtook the table, with everyone talking about their plans and ideas for training. It was rare to see all of the siblings banding together towards one single goal.

And yet, despite the noise, one person remained silent, his eyes merely glossing over the young girl of interest. A soft breath left his mouth as he stood up. "All right everyone, clean up!" And in reply, the Louds got up and got to work. Setting the table once more, before bidding Lindsey and Skippy goodnight.

"See you tomorrow!" Lindsey went.

"Don't worry about Big Bertha!" Skippy followed. And with that, they went off into the night.

After that, the Loud kids began to make their way up to their rooms to begin sleeping the night away. Yet, as she did so, Lynn Sr. placed a soft hand on her shoulder. "Lana, your mother and I wanna talk to you."

The young girl spun around and tilted her head in confusion. "Oh? What about?"

He turned and tugged her along, guiding her to the family table, where he and Rita took a seat across from her.

Silence soon overtook the trio, as the cool autumn air blew through the room.

"So, uhh, what's up?" Lana leaned forward, eager to hear what her parents had to say.

Rita gulped, and so Lynn Sr. spoke up. "Honey, your mother and I have been talking… about your pageantry idea."

"Yeah?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What about it?"

The man continued. "Look, I know you put a lot of effort into getting everyone on board, and you're working really hard to learn everything you need to, but… We don't think it'd be a good idea for you to enter."

"What? Why?!" She leaned forward, her eyes widening in surprise.

"Well for one, the danger-"

"I know about the dangers!" She flared her arms, before falling back in her seat. "Lincoln and Lindsey told me all about them! I'm ok with them all!"

"That's not even mentioning how hard it is to enter in the first place though," He continued.

Lana looked into her father's eyes. "What do you mean? Isn't it just some paperwork?"

"No, there are fees, Lana, forms and other things that need to be filled out," He shook his head. "And given the medical fees for Lola-"

"Then we'll do anything to pay for it!" Her voice filled with desperation. "We'll work just like we did for our vacation a few months ago!" She leaned forward, doing her best to keep her voice calm, yet, she had begun raising it.

"Don't raise your voice at me, young lady," Lynn Sr. waved his finger at her.

She pushed herself back in her seat. This couldn't be happening! This was all just a bad dream. Of course, she said the same thing when Lola ended up in her hospital bed, but… this just couldn't be! Everything was finally starting to work out for her! She had everyone standing behind her.

Everyone, except for her father.

"Lana," He let out a breath and sighed, before motioning along with his hand. "I know that you really wanted to do this, but I just don't want you to get hurt too."

"But you can trust me!"

"I do trust you, I don't trust the kids you're gonna be going up against," The man's voice filled with a concerned heat. "You saw what they did to Lola!" He flared his arms up. "That Lindsey girl's lucky I didn't press charges!"

Lana pulled back. For a short moment wondering if she should point out that what happened was an accident and that she was working to fix things, only to find her tongue locked in place. Her face had put a spell on her of sorts.

"Lana, look, I get it. You're sick of waiting for her to wake up," He continued. "But, there are just some things that we can't do. And so, like my mom told me, you have to leave it in God's hands."

" _This… he can't be right! No, he's lying!"_

The man leaned forward, taking hold of his daughter's hands. "Lana, I know it'll be hard, but we've been putting this off for too long," Soft tears began to fill his eyes, as he looked into his daughter's. "Lana, Lola's… from what the doctors told us, she's probably not gonna wake up."

Silence.

" _Not gonna wake up,"_ Those words bounced through her mind, echoing and repeating through her psyche. True, it had been months since the accident, and she didn't seem to change much in that time, but that wasn't anything! Life was like a game, right? That means that whenever something happens, she just had to move on and things would change! The story would progress and she could get to the final boss!"

"Honey?" Rita spoke up, her voice meekly filling the air.

"No," Lana whispered.

"W-what?" The woman stammered, taking a moment to recompose herself.

The little girl looked up and shook her head. "No! You're wrong! The doctors, everyone's wrong!"

"But dear," Lynn tried to start, only for his daughter to shake her head.

She pushed herself up, slamming her hands against the table. "I know Lola! She's been through way worse than this! She said that we'd always be together!"

"Sometimes plans just don't turn out as you'd hoped," Rita let out a breath and gave her a sympathetic gaze, she then stepped around the table, wrapping her arms around her daughter after she did so. "But, just know that she's going to be in a better place."

For a moment, Lana let her mother's heat overtake her. Whenever she felt afraid or lonely, she'd always rush to her for comfort. She remembers all that countless nights Lola would do the same, causing their mother to sleep clutching them close.

And yet, she just couldn't stay in her arms.

She pushed herself free and shook her head. "No! I don't believe you! Lola's not gone! She's not! She wants me to win for her!" With that, she pushed herself forward, before bolting away, leaving her parents behind to simply shake their heads and sigh in defeat.

The young girl quickly turned and jumped in her bed. Weeks prior, this would've disturbed the animals that called her bed home, but as a part of her pageant prep she had evicted the creatures she held so dear. Now while her bed was nice and tidy, it felt cold/

" _Just like everything else in my room,"_ She pulled the sheets over her head, curling up into a small ball. _"Lola… they're wrong! I know that you're still with me! You'll be back as soon I win! I just know it!"_

For a moment, she stayed like that, the silence of the night quickly overtaking her. _"I can't give up! They're wrong!"_ She slowly began to loosen up grip, easing her hand back and tugging at the red ribbon keeping her hair tied in a ponytail. _"I promised that I'd win. We'll always be together, right? I wanna fix my mistake, if I didn't mess up so badly you'd never have ended up with Lindsey! You'd have"_

A single tear began to make its way down her cheek. _"You're the worst sister ever! I never wanna see you again!"_

* * *

"Come on! It's just a dress!" Lana pushed her arms out, trying to emphasize her point.

She stared at her twin in disgust. "You think that this, beautiful work of art, is just a dress?!" She slammed her foot against the floor. "You are by far the worst sister ever!"

"Lola! It's time to go!" Rita called out.

"Great, thanks to your stupid mud, I have to go to the regional in my old gown!" She shoved her sister before stepping passed. "I hate you Lana, you ruin everything!"

And all Lana could do in reply, was watch.

" _I ruined her dress. It's my fault she's locked away and may never wake up…"_

* * *

" _I am the worst! I ruin everything! I can't even try to wake you up! You're perfect and I'm…"_ Sh curled up tighter, her soft sniffles filling the air. _"All this work and mom and dad are just telling me no…"_

"Hey," A familiar voice greeted, prompting the young girl to turn towards the source: her brother.

"What do you want?"

Lincoln stepped over and took a seat on the edge of her bed in reply. "Nothing much, I just wanted to ask if you were all right…"

She glared at him. "Yeah, I'm all right. I just got told that mom and dad don't wanna help me wake up Lola! They've just given up even though I know this will work!"

He hesitated and looked away, before letting his arms fall limply at his sides. "So what do you wanna do?"

"I don't know," She buried her face in her pillow. "I thought everything would just work out, but no, mom and dad just have to say no! Do they think I can't win or something?!" She pushed. Herself up and looked to her brother, tears filling her eyes. "Why?!"

He opened his mouth to speak, and yet, no words came out. Truth be told, a part of him still agreed with his parents. Sure, it was a risk, but in his mind, if Lana was truly willing to push forward despite everything he had told her, who was he to deny her? Yet, their parents disagreed, and how could they! It was the world of pageantry that she wanted step into, and not even at the beginner level, she was going all out!

And yet, a part of him held out hope. Lana was a rather odd one, capable of picking up unique skills at just the tender age of six. If anyone could pull off a feat like this, it would be her.

"Because they're worried about you," Another voice spoke up, before the oldest of the Loud siblings stepped into the room. "And I don't know about you, but I kinda get where they're coming from."

The young girl glanced up.

Lori rubbed the back of her head. "Look, I know they may look like they don't want you, but they're our parents. They want the best for us…"

" _They… want the best… then why don't they want Lola to wake up?"_

"But, just because they don't want you to go doesn't mean we can't help you still, right?"

The former plumber looked up, Leni's bright smile filling the room as the rest of their siblings began to pile in.

"Like," She rubbed the back of her head. "All mom and dad did was fill the paperwork right? I mean, Lori can still drive you, I remember Lola limping over to the pageant hall when she broke her leg!"

"And Lincoln can still train ya," Lynn leaned against her doorframe, before fisting her hand. "And I can still get you ready."

Lana pushed herself up and wiped the tears from her eyes. "Y-you guys, you still wanna help me even without mom and dad wanting us to go?"

Lisa stepped forward. "Affirmative," her voice filled with a soft, loving heat. "As unlikely the odds may be, science has reached its limit," She looked away.

"The spirits agree, there's only so much that can be done, but that doesn't mean we should sit around doing nothing."

A soft smile began to overtake the young girl's face. "Guys! Thank you!" She jumped to her feet and threw her arms around them, pulling them all into one big hug, before pushing away. "But how'll we practice now? We can't do it at home because dad…"

"Well how about Lindsey's? I have a performance stage I set up at parties," Luan raised a finger. "We can use to help turn you into a real **showstopper!** HaHa!" She held herself while she laughed.

"Plus, I can still make dresses for you!" Leni cheerfully added.

*Sniffle* Lana went. "You guys are really willing to do all this for me?"

Lori nodded, before wrapping her arms around her and lifting her up. "Of course. Lola's our sister too. And although she could be annoying and a tattletale, we want to bring her back too."

With that, she nodded. "Awesome. I'll go tell Lindsey and Skippy, they have to know before we do anything else."

"All right then," Lori placed her on the floor, before turning to the rest of the siblings. "As for everyone else, get some rest tonight, we start setting up early tomorrow!"

Everyone gave a nod, before piling out of the room, leaving Lana to turn and climb into her bed. _"Don't worry Lola, it doesn't matter what mom, dad or any doctor says, we're gonna get you back no matter what!"_

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

"That could've gone better," Rita let out a defeated sigh. "She probably hates us right now."

Lynn Sr. bowed and shook his head. "I know, but it's for the best. She can't just keep wasting her time trying to pull off a miracle that'll never happen," he closed the book he had only begun reading. "Even if she were to win, what'll she do when she finds out Lola didn't wake up?"

Rita paused. Knowing her daughter, she wouldn't give up, no matter what. "She'd probably try to win a world championship or something. Beg for even more help, probably start visiting her daily too…" Slowly, Rita began to go through her latest psychology book. When studying the brain, one needs to have both the physical and emotional aspect to it. "Still… I think this is just her coping mechanism. She needs to go through this if she wants to get better."

"A part of me wants to believe that, Rita. But have you seen how far she's gone?" He glanced at his door. "I don't want everyone to be disappointed when they find out that all the work they're putting into helping Lana will have all been for naught."

And Rita looked away in reply. Truth be told, she partially agreed with him. Those doctors weren't lying when they said that Lola's condition was bad. She could still remember the images of her skull after what had happened. Sure, they fixed the damage best they could, but… she just hadn't regained consciousness yet…"

"How about we discuss this more in the morning? I'm sure things'll cool down by then, all right?"

Slowly, the woman stood up. "All right, Lynn, all right…" She let out a breath. "I'm gonna go wish our children goodnight."

The man's expression fell downcast as he watched his wife go. _"I'm doing this for the best,"_ A lone tear began to make its way down his cheek. _"I want her back too, but… she needs a home, not a servant. If Lana keeps living her life for Lola… then what'll happen when Lola's gone for good?"_

Nearby, Rita slowly climbed up the old wooden stairs of her home. A part of her missed how much effort her daughter would put into making sure her feet wouldn't fall through while she attempted to move up.

Then, she turned and approached a certain door, her steps were quiet and quick as to not disturb the rest of her children. She slowly stepped inside and came close to the lone occupant, before brushing aside her messy hair, and placing a soft kiss upon her cheek. "Don't worry everything will turn out all right…" And with that, she turned and returned to her own room.

14-5-22-5-18 7-9-22-5 21-16, 14-5-22-5-18 7-9-22-5 9-14, 23-15-14-'20 19-20-15-16 2-5-12-9-5-22-9-14' 3-1-21-19-5 9-'13 7-15-14-14-1 23-9-14!

 **A/N And there we go! Man, it looks like some parents are gonna have a tough time trying to get everyone to stop, if they even wanna stop em in the first place! Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed! As always, feel free to drop ideas!**

 **Review Replies:**

 **Superparkerbros: Thanks! I'm doing my best to keep the emotion going.**

 **Kirby: Err… interesting ideas mate**

 **Tristeb: Thanks!**


	19. Through Parent's Eyes

**A/N Ahh, another week, another chapter written in between my rounds of Modern Warfare. I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Nineteen: Through Parent's Eyes

In the Loud House, sleepless nights were commonplace. After all, when there's a child under the age of two always present, one gets used to the sound of crying that would sometimes fill the air.

And yet, for Rita Loud, staying up this late wasn't unnatural. Though Lily was surprisingly well-behaved for a baby, there were still nights where she'd wail out, asking for someone, usually Lisa, to come by and help her.

However, this night was silent.

She rolled in her bed, her husband resting quietly beside her, just as he had done every night during their close to twenty years of marriage. Normally, the mere sensation of knowing he's there would be enough to quell her nervous heart, but not tonight.

Her thoughts shouted in the darkness, urging her to consider their presence, yet she rolled her pillow over her head, trying to drown out voices that just could not be silenced. And so, she rolled on her back and stared at the ceiling. _"Dangit, why am I still thinking about it? Lana's not going to perform and that's final!"_

She sat up and shook her head. _"Maybe some tea will help…"_ Before she carefully pulled herself from the bed, making sure not to disturb her resting husband. Her footsteps were quiet in the night of the Loud house. Normally she'd turn on a light, but that'd just end up waking everyone else. _"And I don't need Leni walking to school at 3 am again."_

" _Now where the heck is that tea?"_ She thought as she approached the cabinets, wasting no time beginning to rummage through them.

" _Mom! The tea's too high for me!"_ A shrill voice cut through her mind, forcing her to shake her head. _"She's not here, Rita."_

" _Come on mom! I need tea for my tea parties!"_ The voice cried out against, prompting her to clutch a box her hand was hovering over. _"No, keep it together!"_ She shook her head and pulled back. "Hot cocoa…" She paused. "It'll have to do," And a moment later, she was brewing herself some of the stuff.

" _Mommy! Please!"_ She heard. A part of her wanted to get back to story writing, but whenever she sat at her desk, she would find herself overly distracted. As if though the words wanted to come, they simply refused to let themselves be written.

It was as if there was something urging her against doing so.

She bowed her head and took a sip. _"Mommy, it's so cold, can you make me some hot cocoa?"_ In the next moment, she was back close to nine months prior on a cold January morning. She could see a young girl clad in her little pink dress clamoring for something warm. She found herself slowly reaching for another cup, before beginning to brew more just for her.

"Nothing's like makin' a drink for the ones you love," She whispered, her hand slowly making its way through her long, blonde locks.

"Mom!" She whined. "Don't mess up my hair!"

Rita chuckled at the gesture. She always loved to ruffle her children's feathers.

And a moment later, they were both drinking down, heating themselves up despite the cold air threatening to overtake them.

"I love you mommy!" She gave a bright, missing-tooth-filled smile soon after.

And that's all Rita needed to see to know all of the hardships that she and Lynn had endured were all worth it.

Sadly, she slowly opened her eyes, her gaze instantly falling upon the two mugs of hot cocoa she had prepared. The soft rays of the sun eased upon her cheek, while a soft breeze filled the room. She took hold of one and sipped. _"It's still warm…"_

Rita shook her head. _"No, that was just a dream. I have to face facts. I've gone through all the books I could find, there's nothing I or anyone can do about what's going on with her._ " Yet, despite her assertions, she find her mind wandering back, to the image of two children, so identical in appearance, and yet so different in reality.

With that, she got up, turned around and got to cooking. So what if this was Lynn's specialty? She needed something to get her mind off of the night before.

* * *

"All right, I'm ready," Lana tugged at her green shirt and blue jeans. It wasn't a pageant gown, but it's not like she would be able to get away with wearing those on the way to Lindsey's. She quickly grabbed her bag and began making her way downstairs. "Mornin' mom!"

Rita paused, glancing at her daughter, before returning focus to her cooking. "Mornin' sweetie, you feeling all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," She gave a small nod, before hopping in her seat.

Rita set her plate. "I'm sorry about what happened last night," she couldn't look at her daughter. "It's just, we don't…" the words lingered on her tongue. "We just want to make sure you understand what's happening."

" _I know, but that's not gonna stop me from waking her up!"_ Lana shook her head. "I get it mom… I get it."

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, before placing her hands on her shoulders and turning the young girl to face her. "But just know… while she's sleeping, her soul is on its way to heaven, ok?"

Lana looked into her mother's begging eyes, no doubt hoping for her to simply nod and agree with the sentiment. But truth be told, she didn't. The last thing she wanted to do, was think that there was nothing she could do to save her sister. And so, to appease her mother, she gave a small nod. "All right mom…"

"All right. Now, eat up. You've got a full day ahead of you."

"Yep, I'm planning on hanging out with Skippy today," She went.

"Oh? Are you gonna visit the last mud puddles of autumn?" Rita tilted her head in curiosity.

Lana cringed at the thought. "Not really, I was thinking of just hanging out playing his videogames. There was this one with a sponge saving an underwater town."

Rita paused. Lana, playing videogames? That simply sounded odd. Then again, she had been avoiding mud and dirt, but that was just part of her pageant prep, right? _"Perhaps it'd be best to leave it be. As long as she's happy, everything will turn out fine, right?"_ And so, the woman simply gave a nod. "All right then, have fun. And stay safe."

"Will do, mom!" She went, before scarfing down her breakfast, and rushing out the door.

Over the next hour, Lynn and the rest of the family would follow, all of them heading out to their own respective friends and activities, leaving the woman to simply stay home and work on her book… at least, that's what she hoped.

 _ **Meanwhile…**_

" _You're wrong! Everyone's wrong!"_ Those words echoed through Lynn Sr.'s mind. He'd be lying if he didn't say that at least a small part of him believed that was the case. As he drove to the restaurant, he found himself glancing in his rear-view mirror, hoping to say something other than the other cars filling the road. But alas, nothing changed. The quiet drive was just that, quiet.

"This is for the best. Saying goodbye is hard at her age, but she's gonna have to do it eventually…" He turned and pulled into the parking lot, before wasting no time heading inside to get to work. For him the rest of the day was typical, cooking, managing the business with his friends. Thankfully there were no unruly customers to worry about.

Yet, as he went on, his mind kept wandering. Jumping to last night. _"Could it have gone better? Could I have broke it to her better? True, she's wasting her time with that pageant stuff… But I mean, in the end, it's better for her to just give it up…"_

" _Daddy, please!"_ Those words echoed in his mind. As they grew up, he had grown accustomed to his children begging on their knees for toys or items of some kind. _"Let me be one of those girls!"_

It had been just a day after they had taken them to see Leni's attempt at a pageant, and Lola was excited. Though it was against his better judgment, he let Lola join that life.

" _And where did it get her? In a hospital bed,"_ He shook his head as he continued to cook. _"Lana will just be better off this way… but I guess it'll just be one of those things that parents will never get thanked for."_

Yet, he still couldn't figure out an itch filling the back of his neck. He was doing the right thing, right? Lana would be safe, and there was nothing wrong with what he was doing. So then why did it bother him so much?

He glanced to the side, taking in some of the decoration she had set up all those months ago. Course, they were rather childish and girly, but he didn't mind, after all, it was the family business. _"Daddy! What about these?!"_

A part of him wanted to take them down, but he found them too adorable to do so… along with, being her choice.

He shook his head. _"No, I'm not letting her risk her life. I don't want Lana to end up like her."_ She slammed his spatula on one of the veggie patties a customer had ordered. _"She liked these… said they would help her look even nicer and healthier for the judges._ "

He slapped himself. No, that's in the past. What matters now is that Lana's doing all right… right? There's nothing wrong with what he did. He's doing it all for her. So what if one of his daughters… wasn't going to have that future…

He clutched his spatula and looked aside. It wouldn't work. It couldn't possibly work! How would winning some tournament wake up a comatose girl? He sighed. _"But it couldn't hurt, right?"_ he turned around and began chop onions. _"No, it could hurt-"_

The knife sliced off, cut the tip of his finger. "Ouch!"

"Boss?" Grant poked his head into the kitchen. "You all right?"

The man gave a swift nod. "Yeah," before grabbing a bright blue band-aid and continuing to work. "Just… messed up a slice is all."

The man looked to his employer in concern. "Lynn… you never mess up like that, what's going on with you?"

"Nothing, just nothing," he replied with a head shake.

He stared at the man, over the past few months, Grant had grown to understand his boss more than he had expected.

"Come on mate, you know that's a lie. I've been here for over six months and you've never cut yourself like that before. Tell me the truth." He prodded, his voice urging Lynn to speak the truth. And yet, the man shook his head.

"It's nothing, Grant. It's family stuff."

That was the only hint he needed. "All right… but if you need anything, you know where to find me."

Lynn stared at his injured finger. "Grant."

"Yes?" He glanced back.

"If there was a chance to save someone you loved, but it was risky and unlikely… would you do it?"

Grant hesitated his answer. "I would go as far as I could. But if the cure is worse than the disease… then there won't be much I can do."

"Thanks Grant," He replied, before grabbing a plate. "Here's the order for table three."

And with that, he took it and headed out, leaving the man there to his thoughts. _"The cure can't be worse than the disease…_ " He shook his head. _"I'm sorry Lana, but it's for the best."_

 _ **Back Home…**_

Rita leaned back on the couch as she tried to scrawl down her notes. Writing wasn't easy, but that didn't mean she could get lazy. And yet, every time she tried to jot down and idea, she would stop, her hand refusing to put down what her mind had picked up…

Then again, "girl tries to save sister" several times wasn't much in the way of ideas.

She let out a breath and shook her head. _"Need to find Lana."_ She pushed herself up and stepped out of her home. The autumn day was surprisingly warm, perfect for a short walk. Normally, she'd expect Lana to do her best and stay out as long as possible. After all, once the cold weather started to set in, there was little she could do to swim in the substance. _"But the last time I saw her roll around in the mud was… that night last month…"_

A part of her longed for those days. Lana swimming in the mud, only for Rita to scoop her up and go give her a bath. So what if she fought against it, she was going to get clean! Nowadays, she didn't fight or argue. It was almost as if she hated dirt all together!

" _More psychology stuff, probably,"_ Rita stepped up to the front door of Skippy's home, and knocked. "Hello?"

A moment passed, before someone answered. A rather young woman with short, brown hair. "Hi Rita!"

"Hi Emily," She answered. "Are Skippy and Lana here?"

She shook her head. "No, they both stepped out."

Rita's eyes went wide, her heart racing for just a split second. "Where'd they go?"

"To Lindsey's, they said something about hanging out with that girl, don't know why, from what Skippy said she's very clean and uptight," she looked up and smiled. "Ahh, my son, already being a lady's man, and at so young!"

The blonde woman cringed at that. "Well, did they say when they would be back?"

"Nope," She poked her chin. "Really, they just said they had a project and they'd be back home before dinner."

"All right then," She turned and bolted off. "Thanks Emily!"

"Huh, I wonder what got into her," the brown-haired woman shrugged.

" _No, no, no!"_ Her heart raced as she went along. _"We told her no. The only reason why she'd be there…"_ Her gaze wandered, before she shook her head and made a turn, coming face-to-face with her children, all of them gathered in the front yard of a certain home.

"Come on Lana! You can do it!" Lincoln punched the air in excitement as the former plumber spun and twirled, her golden ponytail jolting up and sown as she landed and took a bow.

"Great job, Lana. Now think fast!" And before anyone could say anything, she drilled a football at her.

Rita simply watched what happened next.

Lana twirled back, the bright blue ribbon cutting through the air, before she swung, the cord wrapping around the flying object. She then recoiled, and turned, causing the inertia to spin her for a moment, before lobbing it back into the crowd, right back at her athlete sister.

"Yes!" Lindsey cheered as she rushed on stage to embrace Lana, with Skippy following soon after. "That was perfect Lana! "

"Yeah!" The boy added. "If you perform like that, I'm sure you'll win!"

"Thanks guys," She nuzzled them and returned their embrace, before the pageant girl pulled back. "All right everyone, let's move on to the next!"

And with that, Rita watched as they ran back to their positions, none of them paying any mind to the woman watching as they worked.

For a moment, she paused, her mind abuzz with what she had just seen. She couldn't have mastered that dance, it had just been a few days, right? And yet, a part of her already knew the answer to that.

She did.

Her chest heated up. If she could master one of the most important parts of Lola's routine in just a few days of practice… maybe there was a chance that she could win after all, right? So what if the odds were against her! She was Lana Loud and nothing had held her back before.

" _I have to tell Lynn… she already knows what she's in for."_ She took a breath and began to walk away. _"I can do it mommy!"_ The voice cut through her thoughts once more, before the image of a young girl struggling to maintain her balance flashed across her thoughts. _"She's so much like Lola… and yet so different."_

" _It's risky… but I think she'll be able to do it."_

 _ **A Few Hours Later…**_

Though it was usually rare for silence to overtake the Loud House, given the events of the previous few days, it had slowly become normal. At this point, the sun had begun to set on another autumn day, and no doubt the Loud kids would soon be on their way home.

"Honey, I'm home!" Lynn's voice echoed through the home as he dropped a bag on the couch.

Rita took a breath as she stepped out to approach her husband. "Hi dear… we have to talk."

The man's gaze softened, no doubt he already knew what this was about. And so, he sat up on the couch, prompting Rita to sit beside him. "What's up?"

She took a breath. "Lynn, I know we said we wouldn't allow it…"

"Rita, please, we already discussed this!" His voice was soft as he placed his left hand upon her right and motioned with his other. "Lana needs to move on. It'll be hard for her, but she'll learn. It's just better this way."

"But Lynn, I saw her practice today!" She took hold of her husband's hand. "She's-"

"She's practicing still?" He glanced to the side.

"Yes," The woman nodded, before sighing. "Lynn, you and I both knew that Lana wasn't going to just give up on this."

Lynn Sr. gave a shameful headshake.

"Lynn, I know we told her to stop, but I believe she can win," She took hold of her husband's hand. "In just the few days she's been practicing, she's already mastered the ribbon dance. She's managed to dodge all the traps and dangers set up to stop her! She's not going to give up!"

" _The cure can't be worse than the disease…"_ The thought cut across Lynn's mind, prompting him to shake his head. "I'm sorry Rita, but no. Pageantry put Lola in a hospital bed! Even if Lana can win, is it worth risking her well-being just for the small chance that winning will actually wake up Lola?!"

Rita glanced aside. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, he had a point. As much as she wanted to believe that everything that her children had done was for a greater purpose, there truly wasn't much else to go on, but their hope.

"I want Lola back too." Lynn placed her hand on Rita's, before sandwiching them in his palms. He looked into her eyes with a begging gaze. "But I don't want to risk Lana. I don't want to see anyone else get hurt. What'll everyone do if this fails? What'll happen if Lana ends up in a hospital bed next to Lola?!"

She didn't want to imagine the answer.

Lynn continued. "And if she does succeed, and somehow Lola wakes up, what'll she say when she finds out that, well… Lola's not all there anymore? She'll be crushed… it'll all have been for nothing…"

The parents remained silent for a moment after that, those words seemingly echoing in their minds.

"But… you know she won't give up, right?" The woman raised her head. "Even if we ground her, she'll just sneak out. Lana's more stubborn than Lola in that regard."

Lynn remained silent. As much as he didn't want to admit that fact, it was true.

"We can send her cross country, we could send her to live with your uncle Stan in Oregon, but she'd find a way to keep trying to get Lola to wake up," She shook her head and leaned forward. "Would the disease be worse than the cure if the disease is Lana never getting over it?"

"She will, eventually…" Lynn shook his head. "She's young, it'll take a while, but she'll give up."

"And if she doesn't?"

Those words lingered in the air.

Lynn looked to the side, before standing up.

Rita leaned back, before resting her hands on her knees. "Lynn. Lana isn't the type to give in. She's going to keep fighting. But… if she does succeed, maybe…"

Lynn shook his head. "I don't want her to risk her life."

"Neither do I," Rita shook her head. "But… she can win. She's working hard to do so."

He looked aside and crossed his arms. "So you're saying help her, but make sure she stays safe?"

"Not quite, but effectively yes," Rita nodded. "I want her to have hope… after everything that's happened, everyone seems so upbeat, like things are going to get better. I want them to not worry, I want things to go back to normal."

Lynn sighed. "Fine then. I won't stop her from continuing to practice. But you need to watch her. I don't want her getting hurt."

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she stays safe."

With that, Lynn watched his wife step into their room, before he turned and headed to start cooking. _"But what will happen when she finds out that it was all for naught?"_

19-15-13-5-20-9-13-5-19 12-9-6-5 20-8-18-15-21-7-8-19 25-15-21 1 3-21-18-22-5-2-1-12-12 1-14-4 9-20-'19 20-8-5 15-14-5-19 25-15-21 12-15-22-5 20-8-18-15-23-9-14-7 20-8-5-13

 **A/N And there we go! Next chapter is going to finally hit the moment we've all been waiting for! I hope you guys enjoyed so far! See you all next week!**

 **Review Replies (C18):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: Thanks! I'm working hard to make these great!**

 **Tristen: No problem.**

 **DreadedCandiru2: That's something they're putting off talking about for a reason.**

 **Superparkerbros: No problem mate. And it's an interesting idea, though I'm not doing requests at the moment.**

 **Gamemod: Yeah, I figured. Thanks!**


	20. Rise Of A Pageant Queen

**A/N Hey guys! I'm back! Yes, I know I'm a week off, but I needed to put more work into this chapter than usual! And don't worry, weekly updates should resume soon, after all, my classes end this week! I thank LovecraftFan for looking this over!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty: Rise Of A Pageant Queen

The days flew by after that. Rita swiftly informed Lana that she would handle the paperwork, but that her pageant practice would have to stay away from home. That didn't matter for the young girl though, the mere fact that her last technical hurdle had been removed was music to her ears! However, a part of her was still disappointed. After all, _"Why don't you believe I can do it dad? Don't worry, I'll bring her back soon!"_

Thus, the Loud Family continued to practice. Their efforts continued even as the green leaves of summer slowly took on the myriad colors of autumn and fell to the ground. White flakes soon followed, covering the earth in a blanket of frost.

This could only mean one thing: the time for Lana's debut drew near.

It was a quiet December morning when the day finally came. The once bright tree under which Lana had made her promise now lay dormant, its long, winding branches covered in a sheet of snow.

Yet, she stepped over and placed and hand upon its trunk, and closed her eyes. _"I promise that I'll never stop loving you,"_ A voice echoed through her mind. _"Lets never get old!"_

" _I love you Lola,"_ Lana placed a fist over her chest. _"And I promise, I'll win, just for you!"_ With that, she turned and returned to her home. Minutes later, she was back to working on her final preparations.

She carefully packed up her pageant gown. Months ago she would've hated the idea of having to wear one, even if she was doing it to win tickets to Dairyland, but now, she had a good reason to swallow her pride and she had begun to accept it as her new normal. And so, upon examining Leni's handiwork, she smiled. "Today's the day I finally wake her up."

A part of her wanted to image what life would be like after the day was done. About all of the things she'd do with her sister once she woke up. Like Lisa said, Lola might not be all there anymore, but that didn't matter! All there or not, she'd be there for her and help her come back to her old self!

" _But now's not the time for daydreams, Lana,"_ She steeled her gaze before finishing her packing and slinging her bag over her shoulder. _"Now's the time for action!"_ After that, she stepped out of her room, jumped up and slid down the railing. So what if it was dangerous and unladylike? Her heart was racing! With a quick backflip she landed at the bottom, right in front of a certain girl with orange hair.

"Heh, looks like someone's excited," Lindsey gave a small chuckle, before yawning and stretching. Due to the pageant hall being so far away and everyone's presence being required for Lana to succeed, Lindsey stayed the night. Thankfully, Lana and Lindsey were relatively the same dress size.

Lana nodded. "Yep! We're almost there!" her eyes filled with excitement, as she raised her fists up. "We just have to win this and she'll wake up!" She then leaned forward, looking into her partner's eyes. "You ready?"

And in reply, Lindsey stepped closer and wrapped her arms around the blonde. "Always," Her voice was soft, while a thankful smile overtook her. "Thanks for giving me a second chance."

The former plumber immediately returned the embrace, giving a soft smile as she did so. "No problem. Sorry for beating you up, and thanks for helping me wake her up."

"Heh, don't worry about it. I deserved it for everything I'd done," She pushed Lana back. "And I'll do anything to bring her back."

"Come on you two!" Lincoln stuck his head through the open front door, motioning them to follow him as he did so. "We've got a pageant to win!"

And so, the duo looked at each other once more, before rushing out.

* * *

The first car ride of the day was Loud to say least. The excitement that filled the air was only matched by the time they went on vacation over the summer!

" _Everything is gonna be perfect,"_ Lana smiled and closed her eyes, her mind filling the empty seat next to her with her twin sister. For a moment, she imagined her smiling and giving her a playful punch, before wrapping her arms around her in a loving hug. _"And then everyone will be back to normal."_

"You ready, Lans?" Lynn pushed herself over the seat and hung next to her.

Quickly, she snapped herself from her transe and gave a quick nod. "Yeah, I guess so," Before taking a breath. Her heart beginning to race while her hands started shaking. _"I can do this, I can do this!"_

"Heh, don't worry," The athlete pulled back, taking her seat once more. "It takes a while to get used to going out like this, but when you do, every time you perform will be more and more exciting."

"Yeah! You got this!" Luna spoke up. "You may be the second one right now, but that doesn't mean you're gonna be first today!"

Luan laughed at the pun. "Good one! That's almost as good as the fact that Lana's gonna **show up** all the **show offs!** "

Lana chuckled, before bowing her head and taking another breath. _"They're right. I can do this, I can win! For her, I'm gonna do it!"_

"Hey Lana," Lindsey nudged her friend, before pulling out a small notebook. "Since we've got some time before we get to the pageant hall, wanna go over the pageant's procedure one more time?"

She looked at her friend in confusion. "Err, why?"

"Just to get your mind off things, after all, I know how stressful it can be right before a pageant."

The former plumber thought about it for a moment. Over the past few months of practice she had gone through, Lindsey made sure to drill ever single operating practice and procedure pageants had into her head. And yet, a part of her still pushed her to nod. "Ehh, why not," She shrugged. "I guess it couldn't hurt."

Lindsey nodded and began to flip through the notebook. "All right, the pageant is broken up into five sections. First the intro," She counted on her fingers. "Remember, that's the best time to scout for traps. They'll be plenty already set up since a lot of people come in the night before to place them."

"Yeah, and the unobstructed view of the stage will allow you to see them all," Lincoln quickly added.

Lana gulped and nodded. "All right, my feet are ready… I hope."

The pageant girl paused, before letting out a breath. "It'll be fine. They'll be ready, especially after everything we've done," She then flipped again and raised two fingers. "After that, you'll have the swimsuit competition, then then interview round, and then the talent portion, before we end the day with the awards ceremony," She then closed her notebook and looked into Lana's eyes. "Remember, all you have to do is reach then end of the stage and half your job is done!"

The blonde girl nodded in reply. _"Just reach the end of that stage and everything will turn out all right,"_ Before she let out a breath. "Got it."

"And remember, show off!" Lindsey pulled back with a smile. "The hardest thing to do is show off how good you're gonna look in that dress!"

"Oh don't worry, she's gonna have a great time!" Leni waved her off, shaking herself free from her car-induced trance. "I like, put everything I could into that pageant gown! It's probably the best I've ever made!" She smiled at her little sister. "She's gonna look the best on that stage!"

Lana smiled at the thought. _"I know Lola never got a chance to wear this stuff, but I'll do it for her!"_ She then gave Leni a nod. "Thanks."

Lindsey shook her head. "Even then, if you don't know how to show it off, you're not gonna get very far," She waved her finger at the duo. "remember, some of these girls are able to just throw stacks of money at any designer they want and get the perfect custom dress of their dreams!"

"So do you think I can beat them?" She tilted her head in curiosity.

"Course," Lincoln spoke up. "We've been training you to beat the best of the best," He leaned back. "We've gone through their tricks, their tactics, how they think and behave, why they do what they do." He then wrapped his arm around his little sister, allowing his heat to overtake her for a moment. "Remember, if you do your best, you're gonna beat them all."

"And don't forget," Lori turned around and gave her a bright smile. "It doesn't matter how many people you're gonna be going up against today. As long as you've got us behind you, you can't fail!"

"For what it's worth, the spirits agreed," Lucy calmly added. "Even if they don't agree with what you're doing, they're rooting for you to win."

Lana let out a breath and nodded. "Thanks you guys," Before she steeled her gaze. " _Don't worry Lola! We're gonna bring you back soon!"_

* * *

A few minutes later they came upon the pageant hall: a rather large theatre with hundreds of cars already parked outside, no doubt belonging to the families of the other contestants as well as those wishing to view it all.

The Louds wasted no time finding a space and rushing into the building. Inside they found a grand lobby leading to the main stage area and runway. The room was packed with contestants and spectators alike, with noise reaching levels that even the Louds would struggle to reach.

Lana took a moment to look on an awe. "Wow…"

"Surprising, huh?" Lynn came to her side with a smirk and crossed arms. "You get used to it, don't worry."

"Still, there are so many people…" She shivered slightly, only for her older sister to pat her back. "Don't worry, you'll do great!"

She gulped in response.

"Hey Lana!" A voice called out, before a certain young boy rushed over.

"Skippy!" She wasted no time throwing her arms around him in a hug. "You came?!"

"Course!" He smiled at her. "I said I'd be here with you every step of the way! I'll be watchin' from the stands!"

She couldn't say why, but she felt calm at the idea of having everyone at her side, ready to watch her perform. "Awesome, so what's next?"

Lindsey Looked to Lincoln and he nodded at her in reply. "All right."

The white-haired boy turned to the rest of his family. "Lindsey and I will take Lana backstage to get ready, everyone else, try to find some good seats!"

"All right," Rita smiled, before stepping over and placing a soft kiss upon Lana's forehead. "Good luck sweetie."

Lana smiled. "Thanks mom," Before her two coaches headed off, allowing her to turn to her husband and children. "Lets go get seated."

Lynn Sr. stepped forward and nodded, before motioning for his children to follow. "Come on kids, the best seats are right in the middle!" He then led them inside, leaving Rita to hold the rear.

*Ring* Her phone went, prompting her to pull it out and a voice to greet. "Hello, this is Royal Woods General Hospital."

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

" _All right Lana, you can do this! Just smile and wave and you'll be all right!"_ She took a breath as the curtains began to rise in front of her.

" **Welcome one and all to the forty-sixth biannual Regional Miss Prim and Perfect Pageant!"** The announcer, a young woman with flowing brown hair, greeted. **"Everyone here has qualified by participating in a qualifying pageant and is here to show the world who the best really is! The Winner of this pageant will qualify for the national pageant all the way in New York City!"**

" _I'm sorry, but I'm gonna use your qualifier, Lola,"_ Lana gulped. _"But it's for the best!"_

" **And without further ado, our contestants!"** She motioned towards the line of young girls, all clad in sparkly dresses of all kinds, and all of them ready to show up everyone else.

Lana's eyes glanced along the stage, her mind tuning out the announcer's voice as she scanned, taking in each of the obstacles set up in an attempt to trip her up. _"Here we go!"_

With that, the announcer motioned for them to step forward and take the first bow of the competition. The young girls lined up and marched along the runway, smiling and waving at the judges and crowd.

" _I gotta dodge!"_ Her mind jumped, though she found the task rather difficult to accomplish in heels. Thankfully, she managed for the most part… only for a sharp pain to rush through her foot. _"Dangit! Ouch!"_ She winced slightly, but held herself firm. She couldn't give in and show weakness. She had to keep going! And so, she held herself, her foot aching in pain as she circled back and lined up with the rest of the pageant girls.

Then, together, they bowed, before making their way backstage.

"Good job so far," Lindsey gave Lana a soft smile. "For a first timer, you did great!"

Lana winced. "Great, thanks," She looked at her older brother. "Please though, my feet are killing me!"

Lincoln instantly jumped into action, sweeping her off her feet and throwing her in her chair, before raising her feet up, pulling out a small set of tweezers. IT took him a moment to do his thing, but when he finished, he pulled out a small shard of glass. "Heh, first time seeing these."

"Glass?" Lana let her head drift to the side.

"Yep, I'm not surprised," Lindsey shook her head. "Not easy to spot and hurts like crazy. I'm proud of you for not letting it get you too easily."

The blonde girl nodded. "Thanks," she grimaced at the idea of more traps like those, but simply let it go. _"Now's not the time to worry about getting hurt."_

"Anyways, let's get you ready for the swimsuit competition!" Lindsey pulled out a simple bathing suit. "This is gonna look so cute on you!"

"Here we go!" And with that, they got to work.

* * *

" **Next up, Lola Loud!"** The announcer's voice filled with excitement as she stepped aside, allowing Lana to step forward. She posed for a moment, showing off her blue swimsuit with accompanying shades and Parasol.

She smiled, before spinning and popping the umbrella, before recoiling once more and posing it again, as if she were taking a stroll on the beach. For a moment, she simply tried to emulate those girls from the TV shows Lincoln enjoyed watching, kicking the air before jumping up and striking a pose, even using the parasol to lower herself for a moment. .

" **Aww, how adorable!"** The announcer went, before Lana raised her head and smiled once more, only to place a finger on her lips and put on a confused look. She then took another step forward, causing the stage to give way ever so slightly.

Her eyes went wide. _"A spring trap! I have to be careful!"_ Her heart raced, one misstep and she would be sent flying right out of the pageant hall! And so, she let out a breath and spun once more, before posing right on the panel. _"Careful!"_ then, she rolled back onto her feet, thankfully preventing the spring from engaging, before she took a bow.

" **Adorable! Thank you, Lola!"**

With that, she skipped backstage, allowing Lindsey to give a small chuckle. "Good job, and here I thought you just ignored me when I was explaining all of the traps and tricks I used to use!"

Lana gave a chuckle. "Don't worry, I made sure to listen closely!"

Lincoln stepped over. "All right then, let's get you set up for the next one!"

* * *

" **All right, how are you doing today, Lola?"** The announcer lowered the microphone down to her level.

"I'm good," Lana answered in a soft voice.

" **Care to tell us about yourself?"** She continued.

"My name is Lola Loud," She gave a bright smile. "And I love playing games, sunshine, rainbows and helping my siblings out!" Before quickly adding. _"Don't feel nervous, those judges can see through any lie you come up with if you let them."_ Her mind wandered for a moment. _"This is exactly how she would've answered, huh?"_

She held her breath slightly. For her, all of the acts and showing off that pageantry required were rather easy to learn. After all, all she had to do was just perform. There wasn't much actual thinking involved at this point aside from keeping all of the traps in mind. And yet, the interview as different. Questions would be posed and ideas and thoughts would be scrutinized. There was nothing to learn aside from how to stay calm despite the outrageous questions asked.

" **Ready?"** The announcer asked, and Lana gave a nod.

" **So Lola, given the current state of the world, how can a young woman such as yourself help promote world peace?"**

There it was, a question so out of left field it was coming in from out of the park. For most, the answer would be a giant, "what?" But Lana had been prepared. She smiled and answered. "Well I have to first help my family! Then my family can help my community and my community can help others! And that's how we promote world peace! We just have to start small and work our way up!"

The announcer smiled. **"Great!"**

Before motioning Lana to step away. And she did so without hesitation.

* * *

" _Talent portion, here we go,"_ Lana took a breath as she stepped forward. As the rules stated, music was allowed to be played in order to enhance the performance. And so, Luna gave her a thumbs up as she appeared.

Now, she wore an elegant, yet loose princess dress, as she held the stick that connected the ribbon that once tied her hair.

Luna slowly sang. "Let's sing a song full of hope, full of pain, why don't you sing along my friend for its out last refrain."

Lana stepped forward and began to spin, twirling the ribbon, before flipping forward and landing, taking a quick bow, before giving herself a quick spin and wrapping it around her.

"Forever young ever strong, ever brave, memories like this never end, they don't fade away!" She sung, her soft melody filling with a loving heat as Lana skipped, her twirling creating a small heart with the ribbon.

" _I promised you Lola, and I will make sure that this ribbon lets that be known!"_ Determination rushed through her veins as she landed.

"So when I'm gone! Oh when I'm gone, I'll be right there, close to the sun," The musician fought the urge to stand up, while Lana cartwheeled, before wrapping the cord into a neat bow, before unfurling it. And spinning once more. Her eyes fell upon the trap she had almost triggered as she did so. _"Idea."_

"Keep holding on! Keep holdin', on. And I'll be right there, close to the sun! Close to the sun!" Luna finished and Lana jumped onto the panel causing its spring to launch her up. She flipped through the air, before landing in front of announcer and taking her bow.

" **Wow! What a performance! Give it up for Lola Loud!"** The announcer smiled. And Lana took her leave. As she stepped backstage, she took apart her ribbon and retied her long, flowing hair back into its ponytail form

* * *

After that, the rest of the competition went by quickly, with the rest of the competitors doing their best to show each other up, though to varying levels of success. After that, the remaining competitors stepped forward and locked their arms together. It was an old tradition, a symbol of solidarity amongst rivals. Lana put on a bright smile as she stood in the line. _"Here we go!"_

" **All right folks, we've had quite the spirited competition today! But alas, all things must come to an end and the prizes must be divvied up!"** The announcer spoke in a soft tone, before pulling out a card. **"And third place goes to, Laney Lindenberry!"**

Laney smiled, before skipping over to get her trophy.

" **And second prize goes to… Bunnelaby Bunney!"** She took a bow, before skipping over as well, her bunny-eared headband glistening in the stage light.

Lana's heart began to race. One spot remaining. _"Please, I have to win! I have to have saved Lola!"_

" **And first prize goes to… Lola Loud!"**

She instantly began to grin. All of the exhaustion, the hard work, the sleepless nights and the dreams she had. It had all been worth it! She looked to her family and friends, their bright smiles and cheers filling her senses as she stepped forward to receive her prize.

Though she fought the urge earlier, she let herself go this time. She imagined their trip back to the hospital, greeting Lola as she woke up. Of course, there would be some stuff to be done in the meantime, but the mere fact of her being awake would be enough! There was hope!

And so, as she received her prize, all she could think was. _"We did it, now we're coming for you, Lola!"_

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

Everything had finally gone right for a change, and the Louds couldn't help, but start celebrating. Lana held up the trophy, her reflection glistening in its golden metal. A part of her wanted to cry out in joy, and yet, she simply smiled and pulled it close.

Lincoln gave a soft smile. "We did it, Lana."

"And now, to bring her back," Lindsey wrapped an arm around the blonde girl. A few months prior, the latter had beat the former's face in, leaving her as a bruised and bloodied mess. And yet, now, they finally accomplished something so much greater than themselves. And they were proud of themselves for doing so.

And so, the Louds bid Skippy farewell for the day, before piling into the family van and driving off. It was sunset when they finally got on the highway speeding towards downtown Royal Woods. Normally, the roads would be packed with bumper-to-bumper traffic due to the countless workers and children making their way home for the night. Yet, tonight, the roads were clear, as if the world itself wanted to push them ever so faster towards their goal.

Lana steeled her gaze and looked ahead, her eyes focused on the road in front of them. A part of her wanted to glance out the window and watch the world fly by, but the time for daydreams had passed. Now was the time for action.

Then, it appeared, a familiar red cross upon a sterile white building. _"It's almost time, Lola! We're gonna see you soon!"_

The air grew tense as they approached. Lana clutched the trophy tightly as she braced herself. And second, they'd take off ramp and pull up right in front of-

They missed the exit.

Her eyes went wide in surprise. No, they could've have! This day was going perfectly! Another minute and she wouldn't be there to see her wake up!

"Err, mom, dad, what's going on?" Lori leaned forward. "We missed the exit?"

Lynn Sr. glanced at his wife, though she simply looked away. He sighed. "We're going to visit Lola."

"But like, isn't she at the hospital?" Leni scratched her head. "We always went there if we wanted to see her before…"

Rita turned around, taking a good look at her children as they stared back at her. A part of her wanted to lie, to tell them that everything was fine and that they were just going to pick her up from a friend's home, but the cold grip of reality had already set in.

"Mom, dad, where's Lola?" Lincoln's voice filled with concern.

She pulled back and shook her head. "Everyone, before the pageant started… your father and I… we received a phone call from the hospital," She gulped. "They…. They informed us that it wasn't a good idea to keep Lola there anymore."

"So what'd they do?!" Lynn lunged forward, fire filling her voice.

Yet, her father let out a breath. "They asked for permission to move her."

"Where?" Luna raised an eyebrow.

"A long-term care facility," The man let out a breath, seemingly unsure of his own words.

The once lively air fell silent. The Loud Children simply did not know how to react.

"We'll see how it's like in a few minutes."

A few minutes later, Vanzilla pulled in front of a rather small building with a large canopy overlooking its entrance. From what they saw, the exterior wasn't much. If anything it seemed more like just a fancy hospital rather than a long-term care facility. _"Lola's in there now?"_ Lana gulped at the thought, before her parents ordered the Louds to pile out of the van.

Then, as a group they moved inside.

The interior was warm, with a fireplace set off near a set of soft-looking couches. No doubt meant to help put visitors at ease. A small, rather welcoming banner hung above the front desk reading "we're here for you!" Lana's gaze hopped to the random signs all giving assurances that "your loved ones are in great hands!" And yet, despite it all Lana could sell the stench of death in the air

"Welcome to Chivalry Hospital, where every patient is family…" Lana read off a nearby plaque, and yet, she felt cold, as if the world had slowly begun to distance itself from her. She clutched the trophy, hoping to feel some warmth, but only felt the chill of metal on her skin.

Lindsey and Lincoln stood behind her, neither sure what else to do besides follow.

"We're here to visit Lola Loud," Lynn Sr. almost whispered at the nurse.

"She's in room C-137. Please, be respectful and quiet."

Wordlessly, the Louds nodded and headed passed.

Unlike the cold, sterile floors of Royal Woods General, this place had warm carpeted floors and calm lighting. It seemed that everything had been done to try and calm them down. When they finally reached the children's ward, the gothic style took on a more childish shape, with soft colors seemingly made from finger paint mixed in with stuff seemingly drawn by kids.

The nurse's station filled the center of the floor, with several of the workers busying themselves at their computers, while one greeted them.

"Hello!" She went.

"Lola Loud?" Rita whispered.

"This way please," The Asian woman's gaze softened, before she motioned towards a closed door, with the number 137 bolted on.

With that, the louds approached and stepped inside.

Lola's room was much like a hotel suite. It had a bathroom, closet, a TV, a coffee and reading table, and even a couch. If it wasn't for the hospital bed resting in the corner near the bathroom, it would've been easy to mistake it for just another vacation room!

And yet, it only took a moment for the Loud family to crow the room, their eyes fixed upon its occupant.

"Lola?" Lana whispered as she stepped passed her family, with the two that had worked so hard to help her following soon after.

No response.

Lana climbed up on the bed, with Lindsey following soon after. "Come on Lola, wake up, look what we brought you!" She held the trophy forward. "It took months of work, but we won the pageant!"

Nothing. Lola didn't budge.

Lindsey looked away, her eyes weary from the sight. "I'm sorry…"

"Come on," She glanced back at Lindsey, before turning back to her sister. "We did this, just for you! Come on, wake up Lola, you have to wake up so you can see this!"

Lincoln placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lana…"

"Come on…" She went.

Lynn clutched her fists. "Lola! Wake up!" She leaned over. "We helped Lana win to bring you back!"

"Yeah! Like, we did our best!" Leni added.

Lincoln reached for Lana, wrapping his arms around her, only for her to push her brother off and toss the trophy aside. "No! She's going to wake up!" Before she grabbed her unconscious sister by shoulders, "Lola! Wake up! Come on! It's been months! We all miss you! We worked so hard to get you back!" Tears began to roll down Lana's cheeks. "You're not gone! I know it! I can feel it!"

"Lana… I think it's time to go," Lincoln reached out, only for the young girl to swing around and snap. "No! We came here for her!" She turned back and clutched her. "We're not leaving without her!"

And yet, whether she wished to admit it or not, there was nothing more she could do. Lola didn't respond. And so, Lana pulled her close, into a soft hug. "Please… wake up Lola… I miss you…"

All the Louds could do was watch. After all, they had done everything they could, and turned up with nothing.

9 20-18-9-5-4 19-15 8-1-18-4 1-14-4 7-15-20 19-15 6-1-18, 2-21-20 9-14 20-8-5 5-14-4 9-20 4-15-5-19-'20 5-22-5-14 13-1-20-20-5-18!  
12-9-14-11-9-14 16-1-18-11 - "9-14 20-8-5 5-14-4"

 **A/N And there we go! I hope it was worth the wait! As always, R &R and I'll see you next week! My semester's almost over!**

 **Song used: TheFatRat – Monody (feat. Laura Brehm)**

 **Review Replies (C19):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: Yeah, hopefully**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Yeah…**

 **Tristen: I hope I could deliver!**

 **Superparkerbros: No problem**


	21. A Broken Promise

**A/N Hi guys! I'm back! Man, I've been really feeling under the weather lately. I hope it's not Corona. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty-One: A Broken Promise

" _I promise, I'll wake you up! I'll do anything to bring you back!"_ The thought cut across Lana's mind. _"I'll win and I'll bring you back! And when you're awake again, we'll start up right where we left off!"_

Lana closed her eyes, only to quickly reopen them and stare out at the sunset sky. _"What did I do wrong? Did I not love her enough? I won! I didn't play with any of my dirty friends! I let my feet get impaled by glass! But… she didn't wake up…"_ She then rested her elbow against the door. _"I'm sorry I couldn't save you…"_

"Hey, Lana?" Lindsey placed a soft hand on her shoulder.

The former plumber didn't respond, choosing instead to remain lost in her own thoughts.

Lincoln placed a hand on Lindsey's shoulder, before turning her to face him, following it up by shaking his head.

The redhead looked away. "I'm sorry…"

He simply sighed and shook his head. "It's all right."

Lindsey paused in surprise. All right? How could he be so nonchalant about it?! $Everything they had done together, all the work they put into Lana winning, and it ended with Lola not even budging!

"But, Lincoln," She whispered.

"There's not much we can do right now, Lindsey," He let out a breath. "Maybe we can think of something later, ok? It's getting late, and we're all tired from that pageant."

She wanted to argue more. An important part of becoming a pageant queen was to never give up! To see every challenge and problem as another obstacle that needed to be overcome! And yet, this was different. They had tried and failed, so that meant all they had to do was try again, right? And yet, she found herself nodding in agreement.

"How about we meet up again later, all right Lindsey?" Lincoln finished, before motioning back at a certain house. "This is your stop."

And the redhead nodded in agreement. "All right then…" She then glanced at Lana once more, before turning and hopping up, making her way out with a forced cheerful "see y'all later!"

"Bye!" Leni was the only one to reply, her tone more somber than the usual cheerfulness she was known for.

After that, the Louds simply drove home. Normally after a win, the family van would be bustling with sound and noise, of all the fights and congratulations the siblings would give, all on the way to nice restaurant to celebrate. Yet, from the silence that permeated the air, everyone could tell that no one was up for such an event.

And so, they simply drove home and piled out of the car, wasting no time passing through their front door.

"All right gang, y'all know what to do," Lynn Sr. hung up his coat by the door. "Dinner'll be ready in an hour, try not to get into trouble in the meantime!" Though he tried to put on a cheerful tone, it was clear that he was forcing it too.

Lana stepped passed him in silence, making her way up the stairs and into her room before anyone could reply.

Lincoln took a breath and followed, prompting the rest of the family to follow suit.

For a moment after that, Lincoln stood in front of his little sister's door, taking a moment to collect his thoughts and take a breath, before he pushed forward. "Lana?"

"Go away," She didn't even bother to turn to face the boy.

"I just wanted to see how you were feeling? Ya know… with winning and stuff."

" _Like it was a waste of time,"_ The thought instantly cut across her mind. And who could blame her? They had spent blood sweat and tears just to give her the ability to get up on that stage, and for what? "I don't care anymore."

The white-haired boy looked away. Truth be told, he didn't know what to feel either. Despite all of his reservations, he had assisted her. And now, despite it all, he could only watch as Lana lay alone in her room, with the custom princess dress they had made for her.

"Well…" He looked aside, before a small dim light filled his eyes. "If you're feeling up to it, I think we could play my new game together. I just downloaded some DLC maps, and the game is about garbage! You'd like that, right?"

Lana simply curled up tighter. "Maybe later Lincoln."

He let out a breath in defeat. What was he supposed to do? Walk up and give her a hug? Try to lie and say everything was going to be ok? That was the entire basis of their plan!

And he had let himself get roped into it all. _"I'm supposed to be her big brother. It was my job to make sure they didn't get into trouble, and I let trouble get to them…"_ He shook his head. _"I can't let anything else happen to her…_ " And so, he pulled back slowly. "Oh… ok Lana. Well if you change your mind, you know where to find me," Before he closed the door shut behind him, leaving the young girl to her own thoughts.

For a moment, Lana simply laid on her bed, her mind and thoughts clouded by the image of a single young girl. A part of her felt she looked peaceful, as if her slumber was only a temporary endeavor and that she would soon wake up to the start of a new day.

But after everything that she had gone through up to this point, she knew that appearances could be deceiving.

She rolled over, allowing her eyes to fall upon her sister's bed, upon the countless portraits she had hung up of herself over the years. _"Lola… why am I such a failure? You always won! You always got everything you wanted! Now when it's my turn to help you, everything I do just seems to blow up in my face!"_ She rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. _"Why am I so useless?!"_

"Ribbit!" A familiar sound filled the air, before a certain green amphibian hopped onto the pageant girl's stomach.

In reply, Lana simply reached back and pulled him off. "Not now Hops…"

The frog pouted, seemingly understanding of what was going on with his master. And so, he hopped out of the room.

 _ **The Next Day...**_

*Knock* *Knock*

"I'll get it!" Lori went as she approached the front door, quickly unlocking and opening it up to reveal, Skippy, holding a small cake. "Hi Lori!"

"Oh, hi Skippy, what're you doin' here?" She raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

The young boy raised the cake. "I saw Lana win yesterday and I wanted to give her this!"

For a moment, Lori wanted to chuckle. After all, Bobby used to do things like this all the time for her! So, she smiled and stepped aside. "Sure… though I don't think she'll wanna see ya at the moment…"

Skippy tilted his head in confusion. "Why?"

Lori looked away and rubbed the back of her head. "It's… complicated. That's all I can say really."

The boy pouted. "Well, can I come in?"

The young woman stepped aside and nodded. "Sure, I'll go get her, why don't you wait on the couch?"

And in reply, he smiled and took a seat.

While Lori headed upstairs and pushed open the door to the bedroom. "Lana?"

No reply.

Slowly, the young woman stepped over and took a seat at feet. "Hey, Lana, you awake?"

"Leave me alone," She moaned. At this point, she still wore the pageant gown from the day before.

Lori softened her gaze, and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Hey… it's not all bad."

"Not all bad?"

"Yeah…" She paused, trying to pick her words carefully. "Lola's gonna wake up eventual-"

"Shut up."

She looked on in confusion. "What?"

"Lori, I'm done, I've done everything I could and she still hasn't woken up yet! What am I supposed to do?!" She rolled facedown. "There's nothing else I can do… If I won, she was supposed to wake up! But she hasn't… I failed, I can't do anything."

She let out a breath. "Lana…"

"I don't wanna hear a story of a time you broke up with Bobby," She cut her off again. "It's not the same. Losing Geo four times isn't the same. I want her back! But no matter what I do, nothing seems to work!" She then curled up. "Lola's gone forever…"

For a moment, Lori tried to come up with a reply. After all, she had helped her, agreed and at some points even pushed her to keep trying. _"I should've stopped her. I should've told her the truth…"_ Yet, she found herself shaking her head. "Lana… I know it's hard, but… Lola would want you to live your life."

"No she wouldn't! She'd want me to wait for her!" She jolted up and stared into Lori's eyes. "You always wait for the princess to come! She'd wanna be treated like the perfect girl she was!" Before she looked away. _"More perfect than I ever could be…"_

"Lana, well… while you wait, Skippy's waiting downstairs for you," She continued. "He came by to congratulate you…"

" _Why? It was all for nothing? We wasted our time,"_ She hesitated. _"You're the best girl I know, and you don't have cooties!"_ Her gaze softened as she turned.

"I think it'd be a good idea to say hi. He did come all this way after all!" Lori added with a smile.

" _He did help me out… it's the least I can do…"_ She let out a breath and hopped to her feet. "Fine… I guess I can talk to Skippy…"

Lori nodded. "All right… why don't you get changed? After all, you've been in that gown for a while now, it probably needs to get washed," With that, she stood up and stepped out of the room, leaving Lana to shake her head.

She slowly approached the full mirror her twin used to use when picking out dresses, before climbing up and staring at her reflection. In the blue pageant gown, it was almost as if she were back with her. _"Lola…"_ yet, she shook her head. Just because they shared a face didn't mean she could replace her. And so, she quickly looked away and got changed, before heading out of her room and downstairs.

"Hey Skippy," She spoke in a meek voice.

"Lana! Congrats!" He instantly hopped to his feet and threw his arms around her. "I knew you could do it!"

"Yeah… thanks," Her voice trailed off, prompting him to push back and tilt his head in confusion. "You don't sound happy about it."

Lana simply shook her head. "Lola didn't wake up."

Skippy paused. "Oh…" before quickly turning and grabbing the cake. "Well… want some cake? I know it won't make her better but…"

For a moment, she considered denying the request. After all, cake? Lola would love to have it! But, she relented and nodded. "Sure I guess it couldn't hurt."

Skippy smiled, before hopping on the couch with Lana following soon after. He quickly sliced into the treat, passing over the portion to the girl. "Tell me what ya think! My mom made it after she heard you won!"

"Ok…" She paused, simply staring at the pink and white filling for a moment. _"Lola would've loved this…"_ before she quickly shook her head and began to chow down on it. It was sweet with a hint of spice to it, an odd choice to say the least.

"It's strawberry with some pepper inside! After all, my mom says all girls are made of sugar and spice!" Skippy laughed, though Lana didn't react.

Skippy let out a breath in defeat. What was he supposed to do? He thought Lana was gonna be happy after pulling off that win! And yet, instead, she was silently chewing the cake, her gaze softening with every bite.

He had to think fast! A few more seconds and she'd probably break down crying or something! And so, he took a breath and scanned the room. The game system, with a trash-based game already inside?! It was perfect!

He quickly stepped over. "Hey, you have a JoyCom?!" he grabbed one of the controllers.

"Huh?" Lana instantly snapped up in confusion. "What?"

Skippy replied by tossing her the spare controller. "This, it's fun!"

Lana stared at him in confusion as he booted up the system and set it up. "Come on, why don't you play a round with me?"

"Uhh…" She went. A part of her screamed not to do so, that it wasn't girly or that Lola wouldn't even consider such an idea. _"But… Lola didn't wake up, so what's the point of all that pageant prep I put myself through?"_ So, she shrugged. "Ok I guess…"

And so, Skippy started up the game. From what Lana could tell, it was simply her jumping from platform to platform fighting enemies as they made their way towards the castle. The grounds were littered in garbage weapons that they quickly picked up and used to fight. A few months prior she would've been head over heels for a game like this… but now she found herself recoiling slightly in disgust. _"Lola would've hated this…"_

Yet, she took a breath and shook her head. _"Skippy wants to play this game, I guess it wouldn't hurt to do it with him…"_ she took a breath and steeled her gaze, keeping her focus on the task at hand. Together they spun and jumped, before jumping over what appeared to be a giant turtle before running into the back room of the castle.

" **You win! You saved the princess!"**

Lana's eyes went wide. _"I saved the princess…"_

"Wow Lana, you're pretty good at this!" He went.

"Again," She went, her voice filling with determination.

The boy's eyes went wide in surprise, before he smiled, "All right then, let's go!"

 _ **A Few Hours Later…**_

"Again!" Lana called out. "We have to play again!"

Skippy looked at her in concern. "Lana… we've been at this for like six hours… the cake's melted already."

Instead of replying, she simply stared at the "game over" screen and replied. "We have to go again!"

The boy let out a breath and turned off his controller. "Why don't you play on your own for a bit then?"

She simply nodded and got back to work.

Skippy looked on in concern, before stepping over to Lincoln. "Hey, Link, you uhh… might wanna talk to Lana?"

The boy tilted his head in confusion. "Uhh, what's up?"

"I think Lana's having a bit too much fun with that game is all, she hasn't stopped ever since I turned it on this morning."

Lincoln looked at his sister in concern. "It's probably nothing. She just really likes garbage-based games. Why don't you go home, it's getting late."

Skippy gave a quick nod and headed off, allowing Lincoln to step to his sister's side. "Huh, I see you've already found the trash game I was tellin' you about."

Lana didn't reply, her mind was too focused on the game at hand.

"So… uhh… how are you feeling?"

Still no answer.

Lincoln nudged his sister, before slapping the controller out of her hands, forcing her to snap back to reality. "Huh?"

"Lana, you ok?" The boy turned her to face him.

She quickly nodded. "Yeah, just playin' a game is all!" She put on a sheepish smile.

He looked into her eyes for a moment, a seeming desperation filling them. "Well, you've been going at it for awhile now. Why don't you take a break?

Lana shook her head. "No thanks. I just wanna finish this level."

Finish the level, the bane of all gamers everywhere.

Lincoln shook his head. "Lana, come on, it's not good to keep playing for so long."

Lana picked the controller off of the ground. _"At least I have something here… At least I can do something!"_ She bowed her head.

"How about this," Lincoln turned her back. "Finish this level and then you're done for the night, ok?"

For a moment, Lana considered trying to argue, to debate her case and yet, she found herself nodding. "All right, all right, I'll stop, but can I play again tomorrow?"

"Maybe." Lincoln went, "Now let's go get dinner, I'm hungry.

And with that, Lana followed.

 _ **That Night…**_

Lana stared at the ceiling just as she had done for months at this point. There really wasn't much she could do besides keep trying, right? And yet, after her hard work and struggle to get her to awaken, she had turned up with naught.

She rolled in her bed, her mind jumping back to that game. Why was it so alluring? She had control, right? She could stop whenever she wanted! And yet, she couldn't stop thinking of it. It got her mind off… her.

It got her mind off the fact that she was probably never gonna wake up.

Lana sat up on her bed and turned her head, her eyes brushing over the portraits once more. Every single one radiating of a young girl whose future was so bright and yet cut short. Was it Lindsey's fault? To be honest, after dealing with so many traps, she didn't blame her. She shook her head. Maybe she'd take Lindsey up on that offer… not now though.

And so, she found her feet and stepping out of her room. In the silence of the night she could hear her siblings snoring peacefully. She even took a chance to check up on Lisa, the poor girl having fallen asleep at her desk again. _"I'm sorry I couldn't do it, Lisa. I thought…"_ She paused. That's all she was doing. Working towards a pointless dream, and she probably hurt them all trying to pull it off.

" _You're the worst sister ever!"_

" _I know,"_ She slowly made her way down the stairs, careful not to trigger the creeky floorboards and wake her siblings up, before she hopped on the couch and turned on the TV, making sure to kill the volume as she did so.

" _You couldn't keep your promise. You don't deserve to wear that ribbon!"_

She paused. _"I promise to always love you, Lola,"_ She slowly reached back and untied the bow, leaving the ribbon rest in her hand. _"I didn't love you enough… I couldn't wake you up…"_ And so she stepped over and let it fall into the trashcan.

And with that, she began to play through the night.

1-14-4 10-21-19-20 12-9-11-5 20-8-1-20 19-8-5 2-5-3-1-13-5 1 7-1-13-5-18

 **A/N I hope you guys enjoyed! Now's the time to begin the ending of this fic! We're finally at the part I planned out over a year ago! I hope you guys enjoyed!**

 **Review Replies (C20):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: As life can be.**

 **Tristen: Who knows? Maybe Lana learns a new skill!**

 **Superparkerbros: As Lana did at that point. And I'm sorry for your loss.**

 **Kirby: I'm sorry mate, but I don't think your idea would really fit in.**

 **Gamemod: Thanks!**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Cue escapism!**


	22. What To Do Next?

**A/N Hey guys! I'm back, and finally free from my classes to be able to focus here! I hope you guys enjoy this!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty-Two: What To Do Next?

" _I have to save the princess…"_ Lana leaned forward as her character jumped and spun through the air, before landing and stomping on an enemy, causing it to explode. _"Don't worry! I'm on my way!"_

A few moments passed after that, before the character rushed through the open doors of a small castle, allowing what appeared to be a strange man in a mushroom hat to shake his head. "Sorry! But your princess is in another castle!"

She looked away and shook her head. _"Dangit. Not this one either. But I have to save her! She needs me to come to her rescue!"_ She quickly raised her head and gripped the controller. _"Lana, save me!"_ She heard the princess shout, the cries cutting through her thoughts and the quiet nighttime air.

And so, the young girl pushed forward, having her character run forward, towards the next level. _"I need to save you…"_ Her thoughts began to drift away, the allure of the night slowly trying to take her in. And yet, she persisted, playing on despite her growing exhaustion.

The rest of her break seemed to go by quickly. The holidays she had once found joy in quietly being replaced by her desire to continue the game. Level after level, one-hours-long session after another. She didn't even pay much attention to the gifts she had been given. _"Come on, I have to sav e the princess!"_ The days were routine for her. And yet, like all things, break came to an end, and it was time to get back to work.

*Yawn* Lynn Sr. stretched as he stepped out of his room. As the family cook, it was his duty to get up early and cook up the meals his children would need to grow up big and strong. Yet, as he made his way into the kitchen, he couldn't help, but notice the young girl sleeping on the couch… again.

He shook his head in disappointment, before stepping over and placing a soft hand upon his daughter's shoulder. "Hey, Lana?"

"Huh?" She groaned, her eyes reddened from exhaustion, before blinking twice. For a moment, she saw her character, only to rub her eyes, allowing her father to come back into view. "Oh… hi dad… What's up?"

The man looked at her in concern. "Lana… this is the third time this week. You need to stop playing this game."

She looked to the TV, it's screen still displaying a trash level with enemies ready to attack. "Sorry dad… I just got carried away again…"

He let out a breath. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to his children attempting to pull all-nighters. Whether that be with a new toy or instrument or some other third thing, they would always try to enjoy it as much as they could before heading off for the night. And so, he simply smiled and spoke in a soft, understanding voice. "It's all right, but promise me you'll stop doing this, it isn't good for you."

She nodded. "Yeah dad, I promise."

"Good, now get upstairs and get some rest. Breakfast will be ready in an hour," With that, he pulled up and turned around, before heading into the kitchen to get to work.

Lana looked aside in shame. _"Lola's resting more than enough for the both of us…"_ Before she hopped to her feet and quietly made her way upstairs. _"And I still couldn't save that princess…"_

* * *

The rest of the morning seemed to fly by after that. The calm routine that the children had taken over the years pushing them through the motions once again. After she had rested up, she got her breakfast and cleaned herself up. And within a few moments she found herself walking quietly through the halls of her elementary school, her eyes fixated on the floor ahead of her.

"Congrats Lana," One of her new friends went as she came to her side, with Lindsey following behind. "We heard you won!"

"Yeah… she whispered. "I have to thank Lindsey for that. If it wasn't for her I don't know if I could've pulled it off."

The red-haired girl smiled. "Thanks," Though her voice trailed off. She quickly perked up. "If you want, we can hang out again later, ok?"

"Sure," Lana went with a forced tone. Truth be told, Lana didn't really wanna think about her victory anymore. What was the point of it? Lola didn't come back. "I've gotta get to class."

"But we've still got time…" The brunette went, yet, Lindsey came a bit closer and nodded in understanding. "See ya later, ok?"

The former plumber nodded. "Yeah…" Before continuing on her way.

A few seconds later and she found herself sitting in the empty classroom where she would spend the rest of her morning and start of her afternoon. _"I couldn't save that princess yet…"_ She glanced at her wrist, Lisa's watch firmly wrapped around it. Truth be told, she had grown accustomed to simply carrying it around. Lisa never asked for it back anyways.

" _How did Lisa even use this thing? Its screen is too small…"_ She fumbled with the device, causing it to glow for a moment, before projecting a small beam into her eyes. In the next moment, she found herself staring face-to-face with a strange man in a suit and tie.

She quickly turned it off and tapped away. _"So that's how huh?"_ She instantly got to work, typing away at its library, causing a certain game to pop up. _"Let's get back to work, I have to save her!"_ Then, without hesitation, she booted it up and instantly got to work.

A few minutes later, the class began, with the teacher stepping into the room with a bright smile. "Hello everyone!"

Lana, of course, paid her no mind. Her focus was held solely on the game at hand. _"I need to do this! I need to rescue her!"_

"All right class, who can tell me what two plus two equals?" The teacher's eyes went up and down the rows of students. Of course, at least one of them would be able to answer a question as easy as this. Then, her eyes fell on a certain former plumber, who's eyes were focused on her watch. "Lana?"

No reply, she was too focused.

"Ms. Loud!"

"Huh?" She instantly jumped up in surprise. "What?"

The teacher crossed her arms and shook her head. "Young lady, do you know the rule pertaining to devices such as those?"

She looked away. "No…"

In reply she stepped over and outstretched her hand. "You are not allowed to use it during classroom time. Now hand it over."

" _Dangit…"_ She let out a breath. _"Don't fight. If you fight, you might get in more trouble and then you'll never be able to save the princess!"_ Before she slowly undid the strap and gave it to her teacher. The woman snatched it up before dropping it on her desk. "You can get this back at the end of the day. Now, make sure to focus!"

With that, the teacher returned to her lesson.

And yet, all Lana could keep her attention on, was the still-playing game. She had to get it back, no matter what. _"Maybe it'd be a good idea to pay Lucy a visit. She can definitely help me out here."_

 _ **Later…**_

"Truth be told Lana, I didn't expect you to ask for help with this," Lucy shook her head, before turning down another corridor. "This way."

"Well, I need the watch back," The younger girl shook her head. _"I need to get it back so I can save the princess! By any means necessary."_

The Goth girl looked to her little sister in concern. "I get that, but what I mean is, why do you want it back so badly? You're gonna get it back at the end of the day, right? Ms. Turnips wouldn't keep it forever."

"I just need that watch back, ok?!" She shook her head and kept pushing forward. "I need to win that game!"

"But why?" Lucy turned and jumped down another corridor, landing in front of a grate as she did so. "Lana, I know you well enough to know that you're not the type to play videogames like this," She caught Lana and held her shoulders, looking into her eyes as she did so. "Please, tell me why you're so desperate."

She shrugged her off. "It's nothing. I just found the right game and now I love these things and I don't wanna risk losing it!"

"But you're not. She kept it safe," Lucy shook her head. "If anything, you're gonna risk losing it for real if she catches you using it in her class again. She took it away from you for a reason. We don't need to do this."

Lana glanced back at her sister, before returning focus to the grate. "Yes, we do. I need to play that game again! I need to save that princess!"

For a moment, Lucy paused. The spirits had told her so much of what was to come and yet had let her know so little. She had heard their warnings, but they never told her how to act upon them. All they had ever said was that she would need what she would do. But, would she need to risk so much, just to get a watch back? _"This isn't worth it."_

With that, Lana crawled and readied herself, checking to make sure the coast was clear, before she kicked forward, forcing the grate loose from its bearings and hopping into the classroom. She quickly scanned the teacher's desk and snatched the watch from it, wasting no time wrapping it around her wrist after.

*Click*

Lucy's eyes went wide, as she ducked down grabbed Lana by her shoulders, before forcing her back up into the vent, closing the grate behind her immediately after. "Close one."

Yet, Lana didn't even seem to realize what had happened. She simply tapped away at the tiny screen, her mind too enamored on her game to think of anything else.

"Lana," Lucy placed her hands on her shoulders, frustration filling her voice.

"What?" She looked up for a split second, before returning to her game.

The Goth girl glared at her little sister. "You know you almost got caught, right?"

"I did?" Lana replied in an uninterested tone.

Lucy nodded. "Yes, Lana, you can't keep doing this. You lost that watch in the first place because you were using it!" She pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look, the spirits-"

"Shut up about the spirits," Lana cut her off.

The Goth girl raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What?"

"All the spirits have done for me is tell me that there's no b ringing Lola back and that I should give up! Well look here, I'm sick of it all," She raised her head for a moment, before shaking it. "I'm done! I'm gonna play this game until I can save this princess! I'm gonna do it no matter what anyone says!"

"But Lana-" She tried to speak up again.

The plumber turned away in reply.

She sighed. "Look, I'm just saying that, well, maybe you should take their advice. We're all hurting. Everyone was so hopeful when you tried to win the contest and bring her back. We were all excited to see you pull it off. But-"

"But I failed, right?"

Lucy was taken aback, but nodded.

"I get it. Don't think I don't," She rolled over. "But I'm never gonna give up. She will wake up soon! I just know it! I'm gonna keep winning just for her! When I save the princess, she'll be back! I just know it!"

*Ring!* The bell went.

"Looks like lunch is over," Lucy began to crawl out of the vent. "Come on, you don't wanna get stuck in here, do you?"

Lana shook her head. _"I'll finish this later,"_ Before following her out.

And within a few minutes, Lana found herself sitting in her classroom, this time hidden away in a back corner where no one would bother her. She continued to play her game. _"So what? I'm gonna save the princess as much as I can!"_ And as she approached the end of the level, she fought the turtle beast again, only to find out the princess was in another castle… again.

She sighed. This is how it always ended up, huh? Every single time she'd try and save the princess, they'd escape and she'd have to keep going, keep finding where she had been taken, and how to bring her back.

It was a pointless endeavor, and deep down, she knew that this was as much. And yet, she didn't wanna give it up. Every time, she felt closer- as if the game would soon end, and that the princess would finally be hers.

*Ring!* the bell went, but she paid it no mind. She was dead-set on rescuing the princess. Nothing would get in her way, nothing possibly could.

Another level passed, and the same routine. Run, save the princess, again and again. There was no use, there was nothing she could do to stop the turtle monster from taking her away. When her built in missions dried up, she downloaded more off the internet. Yet, no matter what happened, it would always end the same.

Soon enough, the school day ended, and Lori stepped over to her. "Lana?"

She didn't reply, her eyes focused on the watch rather than her sister.

And so, she stepped over and scooped her up, though Lana still paid no mind. There was nothing that could separate her from the task at hand: winning the game she so cherished. _"Come on, I'll save you princess! I can do it this time!"_

"Lana!" Lori shouted.

"Huh?!" She snapped up in surprise. Her eyes red from staring at the screen too long.

Lori looked at her in concern. "Lana, you've been playing that all day. Did you even go to class?!"

She looked away in shame. "Yeah… in the morning."

"Lana! This isn't good for you!" Lori placed her in the car.

"I can stop whenever I want!" She shook her head.

"Then why don't you right now?" Lynn raised an eyebrow in confusion. "I mean, don't you wanna run around and stuff?"

" _I wanna run and save the princess…"_ Lana looked away and shook her head. "It's fine. I just wanna beat this level is all."

Lisa glanced at her older sister, concern filling her gaze. "Lana… you know I made that to be a portable console, but I think you should return it to me."

"Why? Can't you just make another?" Lana pulled back slightly, seemingly trying to defend it from her sister's grasp.

"Of course, but I would prefer not to do so." Lisa replied. "It was quite difficult sourcing the materials to create it."

Lana shook her head. "I'm sure you can pull it off again," She returned her focus to the game. "Besides, I've gotta save the princess! She needs me to rescue her!"

Lisa grimaced, before pulling back and shaking her head. "Very well then. I will just take it back later then."

* * *

"Lana!" Lynn Sr. looked down upon his daughter, anger filling his voice. "I just got a call from your teacher! You've been playing games in class again?!"

The young girl looked away, and shook her head. "Yes…" She quickly perked up. "But it's fine! I'll stop!"

The man let out a breath. "Lana, you've been playing that game too much. You're letting it take you in too much!"

"I can stop when I want dad! It's just something I do to pass the time!"

"No Lana, this is an addiction. You're letting it consume you!" Concern filled his voice as he placed a hand upon her shoulder.

"I think it'd be a good idea to let this stuff go. It's for the best."

Lana looked into her father's eyes, desperation filling her gaze. Deep down, she knew he was right. She had let this get to her head. Normal kids spend their breaks enjoying themselves, she had spent it just staying up late playing the near-endless levels of this singular game. To be honest, she didn't even like the game much. There wasn't a challenge she wanted. She just wanted to save a princess stuck in perpetual danger.

Unlike what she couldn't do in her real life.

She shook her head. "Dad, it's fine. I'll do better!"

Yet, in response, he took the watch from her and headed off, leaving her without anything, but her failure to live with.

A part of her wanted to go outside and play in the snow. After all, it's what she'd do on a nice January morning. And yet, she recoiled at the thought. Snow would get everywhere, and that wasn't ladylike.

But what did ladylike matter? It wasn't like she knew it all. Not like she did.

She slowly found herself simply lying on her bed. What else was there for her to do? After spending months away from them, none of her friends were thrilled to have her around anymore.

She had no one anymore. No one but her siblings.

And so, she rolled out of bed. She was done. She had done it all. And yet it was all for naught. She had gathered them together. Pushed them towards a common goal, and that wasn't enough. She made new friends, learned a skill she personally cared nothing for.

But why hadn't it worked.

What was left for her to do?

She hopped to her feet and glanced out the window once more.

The sun was still bright, though from the looks of it, it too would soon begin to descend for the night.

She headed out and outside. "Dad, I'm gonna play in the snow a bit. That ok?"

The man raised an eyebrow, and let out a breath. "All right, make sure to get your homework done by dinner!"

She nodded along and headed out.

It wasn't long before she found herself in a familiar hotel room once more, her eyes fixated upon her twin.

" _I'm sorry Lola… but if you're not gonna wake up, then I'm just gonna stay here until you do!"_

With that, she hopped on the couch and simply sat by, ready to watch the days go by.

20-18-1-16-16-5-4 23-9-20-8-9-14 20-8-5 19-9-12-5-14-3-5 9-14-19-9-4-5. 23-1-20-3-8-9-14-7 1-19 20-8-5 4-1-25-19 7-15 2-25 15-21-20-19-9-4-5

 **A/N And there we go! I hope you guys enjoyed! This story has really begun to wind down. In other news, I'm finally a college grad! Now I can fully focus on finish this story!**

 **Review Replies (C21):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: That's why it hurts so much.**

 **SuperParkerBros: Shrug, I dunno.**

 **Kirby: Mate, I'm gonna be blunt. No. An idea like that really doesn't fit into this story. Sorry.**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Yep.**

 **Zero: Who knows.**

 **Gamemod: That's all she can do at this point.**

 **Tristen: Lol… what reference?**


	23. Days Go By

**A/N Hey guys! I'm back, and as such, here's a new chapter! I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter Twenty-Three: Days Go By

"Lana…" Lola's voice filled the quiet hospice bedroom.

For a moment, Lana sat stunned, her eyes widening in realization. She quickly focused her gaze on her heart monitor, the device registering higher numbers than before.

"Lana… where are you?" The young girl slowly turned her head aside, allowing both girls to look into each other's eyes.

This was it. Everything had been worth it.

"Lola!" Lana jumped to her feet and almost bounded all the way to her sister's side in a single step. In the next moment, she climbed over the divider preventing Lola from rolling out of bed and landed in her lap, wasting no time wrapping her arms around her. "You're finally awake."

"I'm… awake?" She whispered.

Lana pulled back and gave a small nod. "Yeah… you were asleep for a long time," she softened her gaze, offering her hand to her twin. "But, we all waited and worked to wake you up!"

Lola smiled softly, before taking her twin's hand, allowing the former plumber to pull her upright. "I love you Lana, thank you so much."

Tears began to fill her eyes, before she through her arms around her awoken sibling. "No, thank you so much for finally coming back. I'm so sorry Lola. I did so much wrong. But I promise, I'm gonna make it up to you! I'm gonna make you a new dress! You can perform at nationals if you want! We did it all for you!"

"Thank you, Lana," Lola replied, letting her arms fall limp at her sides. Just as Lisa had said, months stuck in a coma would not do her body well.

" _But I'm here for her. And whenever something comes up, I'll be right by her side to get her through it all!"_ She clung tighter, before looking up, towards the monitor, allowing a sporadic "Beep! Beep! Beep!" To fill her ears.

"Huh?!" Lana jumped in surprise. "What the heck?" She quickly focused her gaze on her sister, the device making sure blood continued to flow to Lola's legs continuing to beep as it performed its hourly duty.

And so, Lana bowed her head, before leaning back in her seat. _"Just gotta wait… just gotta wait…"_ Yet, a part of her couldn't help, but respond. _"Yeah… just waste your time and wait. After all, you're good for nothing else. She had all the talent and you? You're just her ungrateful sister."_

With that, she simply let the days go by.

 _ **A Few Days Later…**_

*Ring!*

"Huh?" Rita raised an eyebrow and grabbed the phone. _"Who could this be?"_

"Hi, this is Ms. Bull at Royal Woods Elementary, is this the Loud Residence?" The woman on the other end spoke in a soft, professional manner.

"Yes, this is the Loud residence," Rita replied in an equally calm and collected voice. "Did one of my kids start a lab fire or something?"

"No, on the contrary, your children have been performing quite well in their classes," She paused for a moment. "However, we just wanted to check up on Lana… she hasn't been attending classes recently and we just wanted to make sure she was all right."

Rita's eyes went wide in surprise. _"Not attending classes? Then where is she?"_ For a moment, the woman hesitated, before taking a breath and giving a small nod. "She is, she has just been feeling a bit under the weather is all. I'll make sure she attends as soon as she's better."

"Understood. Thank you and have a nice day!" With that, the call ended, leaving Rita to simply shake her head. _"Dangit Lana. Why are you doing this? We've told you the truth…"_ She sighed and hopped to her feet, before grabbing her coat and heading out of the house. _"I guess though, it's hard for you to grasp…"_

Soon enough, she found herself pushing through the front doors of a familiar building and making her way up the long, winding stairs towards a certain room.

"Oh, hi Ms. Loud," One of the nurses greeted. "We've been wondering where you've been. Your daughter's been saying you've given permission to let her stay here."

Rita nodded. "Yes… where is she?"

"With your other daughter," The nurse gave a look of concern. "We've offered water and some food, but she refuses it all. She always says that she doesn't wanna eat until she can do it with Lola."

" _Well that explains why she's been eating less than usual…"_ The woman nodded. "I see. I'll go talk to her," Before she pushed passed and peeked through the door. "Lana?"

That's when she saw her, a young girl dressed in a set of blue jeans and green shirt, wearing her hair down with her ribbon tired firmly around her right hand.

She pushed in and approached her daughter. "Lana…"

Yet, the young girl didn't respond, choosing instead to remain focused on the unconscious body of her twin. To her she seemed so peaceful and close, as if she would awaken any moment, and that her slumber had been simply one of long length.

Rita, however, knew that that wasn't the case. And so, she stepped close to her daughter. Ever since the accident, She had spent every waking moment studying, trying to find anything that could bring her back. She was on the verge of finishing a degree in neurology in record time because of it all, but still had not found anything that could fix the damage that had occurred. And when Lana asked for her help, she knew it wouldn't end well.

But a part of her had hoped that she was wrong. That something Lana could do would magically fix it all and bring her back. So she had played along, allowing Lana to push herself along and win. And where did it all end? With her daughter finding herself staring at her twin's unconscious body, waiting for something to happen.

She placed a soft hand upon her shoulder and took a knee behind her. "Lana, wake up."

The young girl blinked and shook her head in surprise. "Huh? Mom, what are you doing here?"

Rita looked into her daughter's eyes with a soft gaze. "Lana, you missed school. What are you doing here?"

"Oh…" She looked away. "Sorry mom… I guess I just thought that… well, she was gonna wake up today. And I didn't wanna miss it…"

She already knew that would be her reply. It was how she had spoken for months at this point. From the day of the accident to now. Everything was for her. Everything was to bring Lola back. And yet, there had to be a limit, and as a parent, Rita knew that.

"Lana…"

"I know, I know. I need to stay in school," She shook her head. "I just…" She raised her eyes. "I just thought that, well, today would finally be the day."

Rita wanted to bite her tongue, to warn her again just as she and her husband had done countless times before. It was mid-February at this point and she had let this go on. They all had. _"I was too busy hoping and keeping my nose in that book to see what my daughter was wasting her life trying to do…"_ Her heart sank.

"Lana, we need to talk," She pulled her daughter onto her feet and pulled, glancing at her comatose daughter once more, before she let out a breath. There wasn't much left for her to do, but tell her the truth.

And so she pulled Lana into a what appeared to be a small living room. It was beautifully decorated, with Victorian features and a warm fireplace. The couches were soft, though seemingly old and there were chargers set aside for those needing a boost. She placed Lana on one of the couches, and sat across from her, careful to look into her eyes. "Lana… it's time we told you the truth."

"What?" She tilted her head in confusion.

Rita let out a breath, mustering up the courage to do what she was about to wasn't easy, but deep down, she knew it had to be done. "Lana… Lola's not going to wake up."

"Yes she will!" The young girl instantly replied. "I know she will!"

Her heart broke. She wanted to reply an affirmation, that yes, she would wake up and that everything that happened would just disappear like a bad dream. And truth be told, she had hoped that she could've said that. But there was nothing more to be done. "No, she won't."

"No she will!" Lana replied.

"Lana, we've done everything we could. Lisa, Lucy, even you, and nothing has worked," She shook her head. "I've studied everything I could in the hope that I could somehow change what had happened, and I've turned up with nothing. There's nothing left for any of us to do."

"You're wrong! We just haven't tried hard enough yet! We have to keep going!" Lana pushed back, desperation filling her eyes. "So what if what we've done hasn't worked! That doesn't mean that we can just give up! We have to wake her up no matter what!"

Rita softened her gaze. No one should have to suffer without knowing whether the one the love is gone, and yet Lana, a mere child, had to deal with that reality. "There's nothing left to be done, Lana. Lola… she's probably not gonna wake up. At this point she's trapped in a persistent vegetative state, from which recovery is unlikely."

"So what? We're Louds! We've beaten the odds before! We can do it again!" She raised her voice and slammed her hands against the table. "Lola's gonna wake up! I know it! I can feel it! She wants me to be by her side until she pulls herself through!"

"Lana, I'm sorry. But there's nothing more to be done. Everything has failed and well… she was moved here for a reason."

She pulled back and shook her head. "No, just because this is a place people go to die doesn't mean she's going to! She's gonna wake up and then go back to the regular hospital!"

"That's not how it works Lana," Rita pushed forward, urging her daughter to try and understand. "Though miracles do happen… there isn't much left to be done. None of us want to say it but… we're trying to prepare for the news."

"No, you're wrong!" She desperately pleaded.

And so, Rita leaned over and wrapped her arms around her daughter. "Lana… I wish I was. I wish I could tell you that everything would be all right. I wish I could encourage you to stay here and be the first person Lola sees when she wakes up. But I can't. Those stories we've told you, about people waking up after decades are the exception, not the rule." She paused for a moment. "And even if she did, months in a state like this will have caused a lot of health problems and mental deficiencies… do you really want that for her?"

" _I never would…"_ Lana held on, unsure if whether or not to push her aside. For days she sat by her side. Doing nothing but watching. There wasn't anything to be done on her end. She had tried everything she could. She even completed hundreds of levels hoping to pass the time by saving the princess, but received no answer.

She looked into her mother's eyes, hoping to see something, a ray of hope, maybe a shimmering glance that there was something left to do, and yet, saw only her reflection.

The image of a girl who had done everything she could, and was only left with a sister who would never wake up.

Beads of liquid began to pool on her eyes as she leaned in and returned the embrace. _"Lola…"_

And in reply, Rita pulled her close and rubbed her back. After all, what else could she do?"

 _ **A Few Days Later…**_

"Hey Lana, wanna hang out?" Skippy rushed over to the young girl's side.

Lana looked up slowly and shook her head. "No thanks Skippy…"

"Aww, come on, we haven't hung out in a long time! Months really!" He went, his voice filling with disappointment. "We need to enjoy break before it's over!"

" _Yeah… at least that way you're not gonna get hurt. Nothing can go wrong if I'm not around…"_ Lana shook her head. "It's fine… I uhh, wanna finish the homework before break starts.

Skippy pouted. "But you have all week to do that! And plus, Spring's almost here, all the snow is gonna melt and then we won't be able to make snow armies anymore!"

" _Snow armies are stupid, figure skating is where it's at!"_ A voice cut across her thoughts, before she shook her head. "No! I don't wanna hang out today!" She snapped, before turning back and continuing on her way.

Skippy let out a sigh. _"I guess she really doesn't wanna hang out…"_ Before he perked up and turned around. _"I wonder what the others are doing."_ And yet, he glanced back at the girl, her mind jumping at what she had said. _"I wonder if there's anything_ I could do…"Before heading off on his way.

* * *

A few moments later, Lana found herself pushing her way through her home and dropping her backpack on the floor. Truth be told, she didn't really wanna do her homework before break started. _"Homework doesn't matter. I could lose it all tomorrow."_

She slowly fell face-first on the bed, before raising her chin and letting out a breath. She resisted the urge to look aside, and take in the now dust-covered paintings and makeup, all left as neatly organized as she loved them to be.

A part of her wanted to clean it up, make it perfectly tidy for when she finally came back. And yet, she just couldn't bring herself to do so. It was how she liked it. She never left her room messy and always made sure everything was perfect already for when she would return.

She would hate to see what Lana would do to it.

And so, she rolled on her side, and glanced out her window, towards the oak tree.

" _I promise to always love you,"_ The thought cut across her mind. Though days and weeks had passed since she said those words, they would echo in her psyche, reminding her of why she had continued to try. _"But why? No matter how much I love her, there's nothing I can do to help her anymore! She's gone, and I'm never gonna see her again!"_

Her thoughts jumped to that rainy day. About how she punched the tree in hopes of finding an answer. Her knuckles aching at the thought. She slowly found herself climbing to her feet and letting out a breath, before making her way downstairs.

* * *

"There ya go," Lincoln whispered as he placed a bowl in front of Hops. The frog happily nodded, before beginning to lap up the meal, while Lincoln pet his head. "You hanging in there, buddy?"

He gave a small nod, before turning around, taking a glance at his room.

"Yeah… I'm worried about her too," The young boy took a breath. "But what can I do now? Lola's gone and Lana's finally realizing it…"

"Ribbit," Hops went in reply, before shaking his head. "Ribbit."

"Yeah, like trying to talk to her again would do anything. This whole time we've talked. Yeah, we've tried stuff, but that ended up poorly," He hopped to his feet. "Ugh, I don't know what else to do!"

"Ribbit?" Hops hopped onto Lincoln's bed and pointed at him.

Lincoln motioned at him. "Yes, I know I'm the man with the plan! But something like this… what am I supposed to do? We've done everything we could. Nothing we do now will be able to bring her back."

The frog seemed to sigh, before rubbing his chin. "Ribbit?"

"Something else to do?" Lincoln followed suit. "I mean, what else can we do? The only thing I can think of now is… trying to just get through it all…"

"Ribbit," Hops gave a somber nod before scooping up more of his food.

" _But how can we move on?"_ He let out a breath. _"Yeah, I know Hops is special and stuff, but man… I really need to stop talking to myself…"_ He shook his head and stepped over to Lucy's room, doing his best not to glance in the one belonging Lana. "Hey."

Lynn rolled over in her bed, unwilling to look her brother in the eye while Lucy simply glanced up. "Hi Lincoln, what brings you here?"

He hopped back, and just let out a breath. "How's Lana doing?"

She shook her head in reply. "You know the answer to that question."

"Yeah, I get it…" He sighed. "I just don't know what else to do now!"

"Well, the spirits said that, everything will come together soon. And that you'll find an answer too."

"Course they did," he shook his head. "That's like what they said last time, and the time after that."

"Yeah, but I think they mean something else now. They said that Lana's outside right now and that it'd be a good idea to talk to her now," Lucy spoke in a deadpan voice.

The boy raised an eyebrow. "Well, at least they're being straightforward about it, right?"

"I suppose so. But they didn't mention what you should talk to her about," She rubbed the back of her head.

" _There's only one thing we'd end up talking about anyways."_ He took a breath and hopped to his feet. "Well, given what's going on right now, might as well do it now." Before he headed out of the room and made his way downstairs.

* * *

Lana took a seat at the base of the tree, before looking up, taking in the star-filled sky. A part of her could see her sister in them, her mind drawing lines between the glowing orbs above.

"Mind if I join ya?" Lincoln stepped over quietly.

In response, Lana inched over a bit, though chose not to say a word.

The boy leaned back against the tree body, taking in the old, winding branches formed over the decades it had existed. "So… what're you doing out here."

" _Being useless,"_ Lana looked aside. "Nothing…"

"Stargazing isn't nothing," He chuckled, before looking up. _"I wonder what Lucy was talking about… I don't know what to say to her now…"_ The boy thought for a moment, before asking. "How are you feeling?"

Seriously? That's the best he could come up with?

Lana looked to her brother, before looking away. What could she say? There was nothing left.

"Lana… come on, talk to me," He forced a soft, understanding tone.

"About what?" She looked up at him. "Her?"

"I guess," He scratched the back of his head. "I mean, you've been forgetting to feed your pets again. They're worried about you."

She looked away shamefully. _"They'll just leave me too one day…"_ She sat up. "Lincoln, what are you here for? All of our plans and ideas flopped. There's nothing left for us to do. Lola's gone and that's it."

Lincoln sighed. "Yeah, but there has to be something that we can do. You've come up with so many things!"

Lana didn't answer and just lied back down.

" _Sometimes, I wish the spirits would be more straightforward about what they expect me to say to her,"_ Lincoln followed and rested his head against his arms as he looked up. "They're beautiful, aren't they?"

"Yeah," She quietly answered. _"Like her."_

For a moment, Lincoln thought about it all. "Hey Lana… do you think that, wherever she is, Lola's watching us, and what we're doing for her?"

Lana looked away, unsure of how to answer.

"I mean, in those TV shows, when a character… leaves, the others always say that they're watching from wherever they are and that they have to keep going on to make sure they have something interesting to see," He rolled and looked into his sister's eyes. "Do you think Lola's doing that for us?"

She softened her gaze, his words echoing in her mind.

"I guess…" She looked to him. "But… I want her back Lincoln, I don't want her to just watch us, I want her by my side again! She was my better half!"

"Better half?" Lincoln chuckled softly, before letting out a breath. "Lana, in the time she was gone, you won a pageant, you managed to get everyone together to help you. For the first time in months, everyone felt hopeful again!"

"But… I failed," She rolled aside. "I couldn't pull through. It was all for nothing…"

"So what?" He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. "It takes a special person to do that. Lana, don't sell yourself short."

She paused and returned the embrace. "I miss her Lincoln…"

"I miss her too, Lana."

"But what are we gonna do?" She whispered.

12-15-15-11 20-15 20-8-5 19-20-1-18-19 1-2-15-22-5 1-14-4 25-15-21 23-9-12-12 19-5-5 20-8-5 15-14-5 25-15-21 4-5-19-9-18-5 13-15-19-20

 **A/N And there we go! Man, I'm nearing the end of this story, and finally getting rid of the distractions that made it hard to write. I hope you guys enjoyed! As always, feel free to drop in ideas and stuff!**

 **Review Replies (C22):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: She'll get through hopefully**

 **Kirby: Look, mate, why not just make your own fic? If you want to put your OC in a story and wake Lola up with a kiss, go ahead, it's a story as old as fairytales after all. But mate, don't copy and insert your OC into my story, that's honestly just rude. Plus, the point of this story has never been to wake up Lola.**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Yeah… that's a sad reality.**

 **Twelve: Not yet.**

 **Gamemod: Thanks.**

 **SuperParkerBros: Maybe, maybe not. Who knows?**


	24. The Path Ahead

**A/N Hi guys! Here we go again! Man, this story has begun to wind down, finally. I hope you guys enjoy!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty-Four: The Path Ahead

For a moment, Lincoln thought about what they had done. Of all the things Lana could've asked him, why did it have to be that? "I don't know," He let out a breath in defeat. "I just don't."

"That can't be true!" Lana turned to him in surprise, flaring her rms as she did so. "You're the man with the plan! Nothing gets passed you!" She pointed at him. "You always come up with something! Didn't you have an idea a few months ago?"

He gave a small nod, before shaking his head. "I did, but I… well, that was before we did all that stuff for you," He spoke in a soft, understanding tone as he pushed himself up and leaned on his arms. "Before the pageant, I thought there was no limit to what we could pull off, and that there was a chance that we could make a difference," He looked away. "That we could bring her back. But…" His voice trailed off.

"But what?" Lana sat up and tilted her head in curiosity.

"I guess, I just realized that there isn't much we can do," He looked into her eyes with a begging gaze, urging her to understand. "Think about it, how important was that pageant?"

"Very," The blonde answered. "She didn't think of anything else besides winning it…"

"But, after you won it under her name… she didn't come back," He continued, despair filling his voice. "A part of me thinks that it was pointless."

For a moment, silence overtook the duo, with neither sure just how to continue after that. " _So… she really is gone forever, huh?"_

The younger child's gaze softened, before she fell back, allowing her head to rest upon the cold, snowy ground while she held her arms outstretched in defeat. "So there really is nothing we can do…"

Lincoln sighed again, taking a moment to choose his words carefully. "Lana… it's not that."

"Then what is it?" She raised an eyebrow. "You basically just told me that you have no ideas and that there's nothing I can do to bring her back!" She shook her head. " _Trying to bring her back was a fool's errand after all. What was the point? She didn't wake up…"_

"Well… maybe there's something else that we could do," His voice softened, filling with a warm solemnity, prompting Lana to lean up and look up into his eyes. "We could… move on."

Move on? Was he crazy?!

"What do you mean?"

Lincoln rested his back against the ground and looked up, taking in the soft glow of the winter stars above. "I know this is gonna sound cheesy, but in this anime I watched-"

"I thought you grew out of those!" Lana cut in with a soft chuckle.

"Nah, they can be fun, especially those card game ones," He pointed up and began to draw the air with his finger. "But anyways… in one of them, a character was dealing with the fact that he lost everyone he cared for and didn't know what to do. So the reformed villain guy challenged him to a battle near the facility everything started at."

"Err, ok?" Lana raised an eyebrow in confusion. "What are you trying to get at?"

"I'm getting there," He turned to his sister. "During the battle, he told the main character that he was living a shameful life, and that he, the former villain, lives his life in a way so that when he sees his loved ones again, he can face them with a smile," He looked into her eyes while finishing. "Maybe that's what we should do."

"Live my life in a way so I can face her with a smile?" Lana spoke in a slightly confused tone.

"Yeah, that's basically it," He placed his arms behind his head. "And that way, you can pick right back up where you left off when she does wake up."

Lana let the idea sink in for a moment. It wasn't too far-fetched to imagine working towards something like it. In fact, it seemed so simple and obvious, and yet, why did it feel so off?

"Lana," The white-haired boy continued. "Why'd you try to wake her up despite everything we said?"

The young girl hesitated her answer, her mind jumping from possibility to possibility, only to end up on. "I don't know.

"Come on, there has to be something," He smiled at her. "We listened to mom and dad and the doctors, but you refused. There had to be something making you think that we were wrong or something.

The young girl didn't reply, choosing instead to look away. " _I don't know…"_

"Ya know, when I talk to you, I feel like she's back with us," He continued, giving his little sister a smile and a gentle nudge.

"Why do you say that?" Lana looked into his eyes in reply.

"I guess it's just because you are like her," He scratched the back of his head. "You never give up, you're driven, and you'll do anything for the other. Really, if it wasn't for the clean and dirty natures you guys had, I probably would've had trouble telling you two apart. You two were great. And it always feels like she's still around thanks to you."

" _I wish she was really back here with us,"_ She let out a breath. "Lincoln… I guess it's because I never felt her leave. Even though she's in a coma, I could always feel that she was around, watching us… like she was just waiting ya know?"

Lincoln gave a small nod. "I felt the same way…" He paused and looked up, drawing in the stars with his finger again. "Lana… what if that is what's really going on?"

Lana turned to him in confusion. "What?"

"Lola's not gone, but it's not her time to wake up?"

"Are you saying that… there really isn't anything we can do?" Her voice fell soft. "And that she's teasing us?"

Lincoln gave a small chuckle, his mind imagining the image drawn, of a young girl reading for the first time, despite the difficulty it put her through, and smiling as her imagination ran wild. "Maybe… but I mean, wasn't it in her nature to do that? She always loved pulling pranks and messing with us…"

Lana chuckled. "You sure you're not mistaking her for Luan? Lola always wanted to be in control and stuff."

Lincoln shook his head. "Remember the time she realized I was using earplugs? So, she decided to get all of you guys in on pranking me?" he laughed. "Good times."

"Heh, or remember that time she helped us out because we tried to stay home and get schooled that way, and ended up failing her quiz because of us?" Lana added. "Man… she didn't have to help us, but she did."

"At least we confessed and made it so she could keep going." Lincoln pointed out.

Lana gave a small nod, before looking aside. "I don't wanna give up…"

"Neither do I," Lincoln replied. "But… like mom and dad said, there really isn't much for us to do, besides wait."

For a moment, everything hopped around her mind. Everything had been for her, and yet none worked. She felt so close and yet seemed so far away. "Lincoln, do you think Lola's gonna wake up?"

He nodded.

"But there's nothing we can do to make that happen faster, right?" She continued.

He nodded again.

With that, Lana pushed herself up and let out a breath. For a moment, everything that had happened rushed through her mind. All of the times she cried and pleaded for Lola to come back, all of her hoping and waiting, the challenges she had put herself and her family through starting from the first time she wondered. Was it all for nothing? It couldn't have been, right?

Deep down, she could feel her presence. As if she was simply waiting and watching for the right time to come back. What kind of sister was she? "Lincoln, do you think Lola would be happy to be home when she wakes up?"

"I dunno… everyone's… less than happy to say the least and well, her part of your room is covered in dust…"

With that, she stood up and looked up to the starts, the image of a princess hugging her sibling filling her eyes. "Well then, all right then. No more sitting around," She glanced at Lincoln, "Let's go, I think I know what I have to do now."

"Err, care to fill me in?" Lincoln tilted his head in confusion.

Lana turned and hugged him. "Lincoln, I know Lola's gonna be back, even if we have to wait years, I know she will," She pushed him back. "That means that when she does, she's gonna need a good home and we can't do that when everyone's sad!"

Lincoln smiled. "So, you're thinking of finding a way to cheer everyone up?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, but…" She looked into his eyes. "I'm gonna make sure to live my life so I can face her with a smile when she does wake up!" She turned around and made her way back into the house. " _Just you wait Lola! I'm gonna make sure that you're gonna love the home you come back to! You can count on me!"_

With that, she headed inside, with Lincoln following soon after.

* * *

" _Live my life in a way so that I can smile at her when I see her again…"_ The thought crossed Lana's mind as she stepped along the snowy sidewalk. Truth be told, she didn't really have a goal in mind, just simply wanted to walk along while she still could. " _But what am I supposed to do?"_ Her mind jumped at the possibilities. "How am I gonna make sure that when she comes back, she's gonna love her home?"

"Hey Lana!" A familiar voice called out, prompting her to turn and greet the source, a certain young boy with a green hat and wearing a bright smile. "What's up? I didn't think I'd see ya out here today! How are ya?"

The young girl gave a small smile. "Hi Skippy, I guess I'm doin' all right," She shoved her hands in her pockets and raised her head up. "I'm just thinking and stuff."

"Oh?" The boy tilted his head in confusion. "What about?"

"I'm not sure. I just got some stuff on my mind and I'm not sure what to do with it," Her voice fell low, as if a hint of confusion was trying to make its way out through her.

In reply, Skippy took her hand in his own. "Well then, whatever you have in mind, I'll be right by your side, all right?"

Lana couldn't help, but give a soft blush, before she answered. "Thanks Skippy."

"Good," he pulled back and turned around, before pointing ahead. "So, wanna hang out today? The snow's gonna melt soon! And it's hard to play on cold grass"

" _No point, he's gonna leave you too, right?"_ Though the thought crossed her mind, she nodded anyways and took a step forward to follow. " _No, Skippy's been around ever since the beginning. I doubt that."_ So she continued. "Sure, but I wanna find Lindsey first."

He tilted his head in confusion. "Uhh, ok? Why though, doesn't she hate the snow and stuff?"

"She never said that though," Lana raised her finger.

"True, but she didn't seem like the type to play in the snow and stuff," he shrugged. "I always thought that she'd say something like 'the snow is too dirty' or something like that."

Lana shrugged. "She could say that, but I mean, it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?"

Skippy shrugged in response. "Well, I guess you're right about that. Sure, might as well," Before stepping forward, with lana running past soon after.

"Come on Skippy! We're burnin' daylight!" before she looked ahead. " _Let's do this! For Lola!"_

And so, a few minutes later, they found themselves standing before a certain home, wasting no time knocking.

Slowly, the door creaked open, allowing a single eye to come into view. "Hi… what are you two doing here?"

Lana stepped forward. "Hey lindsey, I was thinkin', wanna hang out today? There's plenty of snowand stuff around!"

The redhead's gaze softened. "Why? So you can remind me about how we couldn't wake her up?"

Lana shook her head. "No. Not at all," She placed a soft hand on her shoulder. "Lindsey. I just wanted to hang out with my friends. After all, we haven't really hung out aside from all the practice and stuff."

For a moment, Lindsey hesitated, her hand ready to slam the door on the duo. After all, it was her fault Lola was gone, right? So why the heck was Lana inviting her along? She didn't deserve anything but her hatred!"

Yet, Skippy leaned forward. "Snow's pretty fun. I know you don't like it much, probably, but come on! It'll be great!"

And so, Lindsey took a breath and shrugged, before grabbing her coat. "Sure then I guess… it couldn't hurt much, right?"

Lana smiled, before leading them out. And a few minutes later, they found themselves playing along, pushing the snow into a ball.

"All right! Here's his bottom!" Skippy declared, while Lana took a breath.

" _Come on Lana! The snow isn't that fun! Play on the ice!"_ A voice cut across her thoughts. And yet, she smiled. " _Ice never was my thing, but it was Lola's. She would've love it,"_ before she pushed the second ball forward, placing it on top of the first a moment later, before turning to lindsey. "Now your turn."

She crossed her arms and looked away, blushing in embarrassment. "I dunno… the snow is cold and stuff… what if I break a nail."

She chuckled at the thought. " _Just like Lola would've said,"_ she stepped over to her friend. "Come on, it'll be fine, I'll even help ya out!" She urged Lindsey down, and reluctantly, she complied, placing her hands in the ice.

"Now roll it, like this," Lana pushed forward, with Lindsey nodding and doing the same. A few minutes later they had a small ball rolled up, ready to be placed on top. And though she didn't understand why she was doing it, Lindsey gave a small smile and pulled it up.

"All right! On top!" Skippy came up and helped as the trio placed the final ball on top, finishing the main body of their snowman.

Lindsey tilted her head in confusion. "Hmm, I dunno… I feel like it's missing something…"

The boy chuckled. "Course it is!"

Skippy chuckled, before scooping a few rocks off the ground. "We have to turn it into a snow man! It's just a few balls of snow right now!"

Lindsey rubbed her chin, before taking off her hat. "Well... will this help?"

Lana rubbed her chin. "definitely," before she pulled out a carrot. "And this for his nose!"

With that, the three kids dressed the figure, before pulling back and basking in its finished glow.

"Well, I've gotta say, this doesn't look half bad!" Skippy smiles at the sight.

Lindsey cracked a small smile in reply, only for a snowball to nail in the face. "What the?!"

Lana chuckled. "Haha!" Only for snowballs to pelt them both, causing them to look at Skippy, who was already reloading.

Lindsey rushed to her feet. "You're on!"

And before they knew it, the three were throwing snowballs at each other, filling the air with the soft sounds of children's laughter.

The sun soon set on that day as well, leaving the trio lying in the snow, their bodies covered in the snow they had pelted each other with.

"Heh, that was the most fun I've had in a while," Lana leaned into the ice, allowing some to melt and soak her jacket.

"Best break ever," Skippy added, a soft smile taking his face as well, before he glanced at Lindsey. "How about you?"

For a moment, the young girl paused. After everything that had happened, she couldn't help but agree. "Yeah… it was fun," and yet, her tone said otherwise.

Lana pushed herself up and glanced at her. "What's up Lindsey?"

The red-haired girl hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should say what was truly on her mind. And yet, she pushed herself up and shook her head. "Lana… what's going on?"

The blonde girl pushed herself up as well. "What do you mean?"

"Why'd you come over today?" She continued. "Lola didn't wake up! Everything we did the past few months was pointless! But you decided to come by anyways…"

Lana hesitated her answer. What could she say? Not much truth be told aside from. "Not sure, but I guess I just thought that you'd wanna hang out today."

Skippy followed up. "Plus, even though… you know," He rubbed the back of his head. "You still helped out, and you're a pretty cool girl!"

Lindsey shook her head. "But why?"

"Maybe, I guess, it's what Lola would've wanted," Lana shrugged. "Ya know she never really hated you. She always talked about how much fun she had beating you!"

"S-she didn't?!" Lindsey's eyes went wide.

The blonde nodded. "Yeah. I know I never mentioned it before, but she loved having to dodge all of your tricks and traps. She always said they made competing in pageants all the more interesting and fun!"

Lindsey smiled softly at the thought. "Ya know… Lana… you kinda remind me of her."

"Well, we are twins," Lana chuckled.

"So, what do you guys have in mind for break?" Skippy spoke up. "Since, ya know, all this stuff that's going on."

"Truth be told… I don't know," Lana fell back on the snow. "All I do know is that, well, even though Lola hasn't woken up yet, that doesn't mean I can just give up."

Lindsey's eyes went wide as she jumped onto her knees. "What do you mean?!"

"Lola's gonna be gone for a while, but I wanna make sure that when she comes back, she'll have a great life waiting for her."

Skippy and Lindsey looked to each other for a moment, before both nodding.

"We're in."

Lana's eyes went wide. "Wh-what?!"

Lindsey replied. "Lana, I'm sorry about what happened, and I wanna help you. I wanna be able to tell Lola I'm sorry when she gets back, and I wanna prove it."

"And you're my best friend. I'm gonna help you no matter what!"

Lana smiled, before throwing her arms around them. "Oh thank you guys!" She pushed back. "Now, then… Hah!" She shoved them both in the snow.

Skippy wiped himself down. "You're on!"

And with that, they played in the snow before the lights came on signalling them to go home.

20-8-15-21-7-8 20-8-5 12-1-20-8 23-9-12-12 2-5 4-9-5-5-9-3-21-12-20, 20-8-5-18-5 23-9-12-12 1-12-23-1-25-19 2-5 8-15-16-5.

 **A/N And there we go! With this, we enter the final arc of this fic! I hope you guys enjoyed so far!**

 **Review Replies (C23):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: Nope. Lana's hallucinating her waking up more and more.**

 **Kirby: No problem mate.**

 **Zero: There's always more options.**

 **Rebecca Noto: Thanks for the sentiment mate! I hope you can enjoy how this story will end!**

 **Gamemod: Thanks!**

 **SuperParkerBros: Heh I think I get what you're saying.**

 **sky3427: Definitely.**

 **DreadedCandiru2: perhaps, or maybe not.**


	25. Scientific Building

**A/N Hi guys! I'm back with the next chapter of this fic! Man, I can't believe only a few more chapters remain before the end! I hope you guys enjoy this!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty-Five: Scientific Building

"Ahh," Lana stretched as she pushed into her home, the events of the previous day still squarely on her mind. _"Man… it was nice hanging out with them again,"_ She smiled. _"That as the first time I've had fun in months!"_

"Kids! Dinner!" A familiar voice called, prompting Lana to turn and enter the kitchen. "Hey dad."

"Hi honey," Lynn turned around and gave her a small smile. "I haven't seen you all day."

"I was out with friends," She turned and hopped into her seat. "We played in the snow and stuff. It was pretty cool!"

Lynn Sr. turned to his daughter and flashed a small smile, before returning to his cooking. "That's nice to hear. You plan on going out with them again? And remember, no boyfriends until you're sixteen!"

Lana blushed madly. "Dad! Skippy's a nice boy!"

The man chuckled in reply. "Yeah, yeah, but what I've said still stands."

*Beep* *Beep* followed by the soft sands of little hands tapping away on a tablet soon filled the air. Lana quickly turned, only to find Lisa now focused on whatever mundane task present in that game of hers.

The young girl leaned over and glanced at the pad. "Heh, what game are you playing?"

"Super Plumber Brothers," She whispered. "It's a simple game about two guys running around fighting a giant turtle.

" _Man, why are so many games built like that…"_ The thought crossed her mind. "Well… are you all right, Lisa?"

"Affirmative," She answered, her voice going slightly low.

For a moment, Lana considered her next move. Lisa had no doubt fallen back into the same habits she had from before pageant practice started. _"But how can I help her now? I doubt she'd believe anything I suggest now that Lola didn't wake up…"_ Her mind jumped to ideas. _"What would Lisa like to do? Study? Experiment maybe but…"_ She looked to her sister, the young girl focused solely on that device. _"No, I can't give up! What would Lisa do? Stay inside all day right? Well then, let's do something out of her comfort zone!"_

* * *

*Knock* *knock* Lana pushed open the door to Lisa's room, glancing inside a moment later. "Hey, Lisa, you in here?"

Slowly, the young girl glanced back. "What is it, elder sibling?"

She pushed in, careful to step over the canisters of deadly neurotoxin, before rubbing her arm. "I was thinking, wanna hang out today? I mean you really haven't done much besides play that game."

"I am playing Minecraft now!" Lisa pointed out. "This game allows me to test all my theories and it is amazingly fun!" She turned back and got back to building.

Lana rubbed her chin and smiled. _"I know how to hang out with Lisa."_ She quickly turned and headed to her room, booting up the computer and typing away. _"Come on, please tell me I know how to do this…"_

 _ **Loading terrain…**_

"Haha! I did it!" She cheered, flaring her arms as the message "FrogsAndToads55 joined the game!" Appeared on the screen.

"Lana?! What are you doing here?!" Lisa immediately spoke up. "This is supposed to be my world!"

"Then why'd you leave it open to LAN?" She typed in response. "I just wanted to hang out with you and stuff."

She waited a moment for Lisa's reply, half-expecting her to simply tell her to leave. Yet, instead, Lisa teleported to her. "Well… I suppose you can stay."

Lana smiled at that. "Thanks Lisa. Do you have a home yet?"

The scientist hesitated. "No… I really haven't been playing to game to build anything… just testing modifications to the game code."

Lana raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Uhh, like what?"

Suddenly, Lisa's character lit up, as if one of the mods allowed the blocky characters to finally show some emotion. "Follow me and I'll show you!" Quickly, Lisa turned and ran off, with Lana following immediately.

" _Looks like I found what gets her excited,"_ Lana cracked a small smile, before she gave chase.

The scientist wasted no time climbing over a mountain, before jumping down and landing in what appeared to be a small dirt hut, set aside just for her work.

"Not much, I am aware," She went, no doubt in real life she would've scratched the back of her head in embarrassment. Thankfully, this was just a game and there was no need for such gestures.

"Well, for a start it's all right," The former plumber shrugged and stepped over to what appeared to be an orange head with grey lines going through it. What was odd however, was that the number 127 followed by a thunderbolt floated above it. "What's this?"

"Oh that's my energy regulator, it runs this whole power network!" She motioned towards the place, seemingly motioning towards the random blocks set out to try and mark where she had built.

"Energy?" Lana tilted her head in confusion. She hadn't played Minecraft in a while, but surely they hadn't gone this far with it… right?"

Lisa's eyes lit up. "Yes! Energy! Let me show you!" She grabbed Lana's hand and pulled her over to what appeared to be a furnace, brown block, and a blue glass block. "This is the most important system I have here! My resource maker!"

"Ok, I think I get it," She scratched the back of her head in confusion.

"Over there you see my solar panels, they're making sure that this thing has enough energy to run, while my robots on the other side of the mountain are hard at work using the cobblestone generators to actually get this machine to work.

Lisa scratched the back of her head. "I'm working on adding a coal farm to it, with robots to chop down the trees and then turn that wood into coal to power everything and stuff!" She shook her head. "You wouldn't believe how much coal this mod calls for. It's almost like every day I need to get eight stacks worth just to make one important item!"

"Wow…" The older girl went, surprise filling her voice. "From the looks of it, you've been pretty busy."

She nodded. "Of course! I want to make sure that I understand these modifications perfectly! I'm gonna go all out and figure out how to break this system completely!" For a moment, darkness seemed to overtake Lisa, as if her very thoughts had begun to overtake the world. "I will rule! I will-"

"Uhh, Lisa, not to kill the mood and stuff, but… have you actually enjoyed this game much?" Her older sister spoke up.

Lisa quickly recomposed herself. "Of course. I have made so many machines and devise that I plan to try and replicate in real life!"

Lana shook her head. "These mods are cool and all but… you haven't even built yourself a home yet," She glanced to the side. "You probably haven't even sorted out your chests yet, haven't you?"

"I'll get to it!" She snapped back. "As soon as I finish with my next machine!"

The older girl stepped over and placed a soft hand upon her sister's shoulder. "Well ok then, but how about we go calm down for now? People don't always play this game for the mods ya know!"

"Pish, posh, I love this the way it is! There's nothing more I would enjoy than to keep going at it like the way it is!" Lisa's character spun around, prompting Lana's to grab her.

"Come on, it'll be fun! Plus, solar panels don't work at night!"

For a moment, Lisa paused. "Dangit!" Before letting out a breath and raising a finger. "No matter! Once I make a system capable of autonomously creating uranium I will be able to sustain a nuclear reactor system constantly! And have no more energy problems!"

"And how long will that take you?" Lana raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

Lisa twiddled her fingers for a moment. "I dunno… a lot of work and time?"

For a moment, Lana thought of her response. No doubt trying to get her to do anything for her own good would just lead to her sister pushing it off for some crazy device or… whatever she was doing in Minecraft. And so, she stepped over. "Well, Lisa, I'm not gonna play this game much with you? Can we please build a house or something while I'm here? That way we have somewhere to live when I do come by?"

The younger girl considered declining the offer. After all, time wasted building shelter was time she could spend perfecting this already complex system! And yet, she stood by in thought. As much as she tried to deny it, playing this game by yourself in such a huge world… well, it got lonely. Oh how much she desired to have someone keep her company, even if it was nothing more than to have someone standing by.

And given what Lana just said… this wasn't going to happen too often. So, with a soft breath, she shrugged. "I suppose I could put off the construction of another system for now, in order to construct a dwelling place. Where would you like to start?"

Lana replied by turning and stepping over to a nearby tree. "Like all things in Minecraft start. By punching a tree!"

The scientist raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Err, what? How would-"

Yet, before she could finish, the tree trunk broken, leaving the rest of the tree floating in midair.

"Wat?" The younger girl's eyes went wide in confusion.

"Heh, don't tell me, how long have you been playing Minecraft?" She chuckled.

"A few days," Lisa spoke with amazement filling her voice. "I usually just spawn in the required resources."

"Well then, you don't know what you're missing out on," She turned the block of wood into a crafting table and put it down, before breaking down the rest of tree, quickly making some tools and handing a set over to her sister. "Lets get to work!"

It took them some time to build after that, calmly collecting the required maters, before setting them into the shape of a small hut. Of course, it wasn't much, but it was something. And as the sun set upon another day, the duo looked upon their work, and couldn't help, but smile.

"Wow… this experience has been… oddly calming," The scientist's voice was soft, at least Lana imagined it to be as such.

"That's how this game is, Lisa. You don't need crazy machines and stuff to make it fun," The older girl replied, imagining placing an arm around her sister.

"Lana," Lisa went, her voice filling with curiosity.

"Yeah?"

"Why did you decide to join me in this world?" She asked.

She rubbed the back of her head in reply. "I dunno, I just saw that you were playing and decided that it'd be fun and stuff…"

"The reason I ask is because, well, this doesn't seem like something you'd like with me," She went.

"I could say the same thing about you," She chuckled. "Minecraft doesn't have any puzzles in it to solve normally," She glanced back at the machines. "I guess that's why you built those huge things, huh?"

Lisa hesitated in reply. "I suppose to, it was like one huge puzzle with so many ways to change and make it myself."

For a moment after that, the duo stood by in silence, with neither sure what to say.

"Hey Lisa," Lana broke the silence and looked to her. "When was the last time you went outside?"

"Yesterday?" Lisa raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Not with us," She continued. "Just yourself going out somewhere or just going for a walk."

The younger girl didn't answer.

With that, Lana hopped to her feet in real life and stepped over to Lisa's room, peaking her head through a moment later. "Hey, Lisa?"

The scientist took a breath and hopped to her feet. "Sure. I suppose it couldn't hurt to step out for just a bit…"

Lana cracked a smile with that, before she motioned for her sister to follow.

Lisa replied by taking Lana's hand and following, much like a normal child would. With that, they stepped downstairs and headed outside, walking along the block they had lived their entire lives.

"Lana, why are you doing this?" Lisa asked, her voice filling with apprehension. "I just don't get why."

"Doing what?" The older girl looked to her in confusion.

"Lana, you and I both know what's been going on, so please, tell me, what do you want from me this time?" Her voice filled with defeat. "We've already failed to awaken her before, and I know you haven't given up yet, so what is it."

Slowly, she turned to Lisa, the young girl's eyes filling with a begging gaze. There was nothing she could do, and months prior, had admitted as such. She was hopeful in their attempt and yet, in the end, found that it gave nothing towards bringing her back. And so, Lana placed a hand on her shoulder. "Lisa, I just wanna hang out with you today. You've been playing so many games that your eyes have probably turned red from overuse… heck, I haven't even seen you blink since you came out here!"

Lisa held her hand over her eyes to block the rays of the sun. "That's fine! It's normal!"

Calmly, she tugged her sister along, pulling her into their favorite fast food restaurant, before paying for a small meal. "Sure it is. Besides… I haven't thanked you for helping me out."

"Of course you have!" She tried to reply, yet, Lana waved her off. "I'm serious. If it wasn't for you, I don't think I would've been able to actually pull off making it as far as I did. You were the planner after all, making sure that traps and stunts would work."

"That was nothing. I could do that stuff in my sleep," She waved off the idea, as some workers brought out a tray with their food and placed it in front of them. She let out breath. "it was pointless…"

Lana reached over and placed her hand on Lisa. "No it wasn't."

"How can you say so?" She looked up. "We spent weeks preparing you. We took our valuable time and used it in the miniscule chance that she would somehow wake up by you winning a barely relevant contest!"

For a moment, Lana thought over her words. It was true that, in the end, everything they did just didn't matter. And yet, a part of her disagreed. "Lisa, it wasn't for nothing." She smiled. "When Lola gets back she's gonna be a regional champ."

"You think she'll be happy about that?"

"Course, she's still Lola after all," Lana chuckled.

Lisa looked away, and took a bite of her food.

A moment passed, with neither speaking, before Lisa broke through. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why are you still trying? There's nothing left to be done. If this were a chess game, most people would've resigned," she looked into her older sister's eyes, a spark of curiosity filling them. "I see no more point in trying… at this point, Lola's basically a vegetable… in medical terms, she's entered a persistent vegetative state from which there's little chance of recovery. Yet, you're still hopeful, why?"

In response, Lana leaned over and wrapped her arms around her young sibling. "Because I know we'll see her again."

"What?"

She pushed back and offered the younger girl a French fry. "After talking to Lincoln, I realized that, well, Lola will wake up, and when she does, I wanna make sure she can smile at what she comes home to."

"That's a naïve way of looking at this scenario…" Lisa's voice trailed off.

"It's not like there's any other way to look at it," The former plumber hopped to her feet. "I know that she's gonna need all of us to help her out. She's not gonna be all there when she comes back, I know, but I wanna make sure that she'll have all of us by her side!"

Lisa raised an eyebrow. "So are you attempting to elicit our aid once again?"

Lana shook her head. "No. I just, wanted to thank you for helping me. And I wanted to return the favor. That way, you can smile too when she comes back to us!"

The young girl allowed the words to fill her thoughts. It was odd. Even though every fiber of her being disagreed, she couldn't help, but let the words fill her mind. There wasn't much else that could be done, and yet, she still wanted to try. "You know… those games are fun."

"I know," Lana chuckled. "If they weren't, I don't think you'd play them."

"I played them to distract myself. I needed to stop thinking about what happened…" She went.

Lana took Lisa's hand in hers and tugged, motioning for her to step out of the both and come along. "Lisa, it's not your fault and never was. You did your best, and that's all that matters."

Lisa looked up to her sister, hope filling her eyes.

" _I'm supposed to be the smart one!"_ The thought crossed her mind. All those weeks ago, Lisa vented to her, and all she did was ask for her help! What kind of sister was she?! _"Lisa needs my help too."_ And so, she ran her hand through her little sister's hair. "Lisa. You may be smart, but you have a limit. You're a scientist, not a miracle worker."

"But, but-" She started to stammer. Yet, Lana placed her finger over her mouth.

"But nothing. You did your best," She looked into Lisa's eyes. "And I know that Lola would be proud of you. You did amazing things for her. Nanites? Neurotoxin? Only you would be able to do these things! And you did it for her." She smiled and finished. "I know that she's gonna be happy when she comes back because of you."

For a moment, the younger girl simply stood by, seemingly unsure of what to say in response. And yet, she threw her arms around her old sister, her glasses hiding the soft tears beginning to form.

"You've done enough."

"Thanks Lana…" She wiped her face. "I… I tried."

"And she knows that, I can feel it," She finished, placing a hand on Lisa's cheek. "Ok?"

She nodded.

With that, the older girl pulled back. "So tell me Lisa, what have you done besides play those games of yours, and somehow sneak full gaming sets into class?" Lana nudged her with a slight chuckle.

"Nothing else really… I stopped attempting to find cures or repairs or anything after the failure to wake her up…" She sighed. "I saw no more use in trying. So I sent my findings to my colleges and just started playing games like Minecraft and puzzles…"

"Have you seen your friends lately?" The older girl tilted her head in curiosity.

"No. None of the children my age are able to play like I do so…" She rubbed her arm.

"Well then, let's go pay them a visit!" Lana pulled Lisa over to a small house, and wasted no time knocking. "This house, right?"

"Affirmative!" Lisa went.

A moment later, a young woman answered, glancing down at the duo. "Hello there!"

Darcy peeked her head from behind her mother's legs, before squealing in excitement. "Lis-Lis!"

Lisa blushed in embarrassment. "Hey Darcy."

Instantly, the young girl jumped over and threw her arms around her friend, prompting the scientist to do the same. "I missed you so much! Wanna go play? I have cookies and we can play with my new dolls!"

The sweater-clad girl looked to her older sister, who simply nodded in reply. "Have fun, Lisa. Those games aren't gonna help you, and you know it."

She nodded in reply. As much as she had grown to love them, it was true and she knew it. And so, she pushed back and nodded. "Sure, Darce, how about I get Ms. Fluffybuns this time?"

"Fine," Darcy went, crossing her arms. "But only if I get Acey!"

"Deal," Lisa poked her. Before the duo headed inside, with the young woman smiling. "Would you like some snacks too?"

Lana waved her off. "It's fine, thanks though!" Before she headed off, placing her hands on her head.

For the next few moments, she smiled, taking in the midday town. _"Man, one sister helped already, only a few more to go."_ She took a breath and tugged at the ribbon. _"Don't worry Lola, I'm gonna make sure the home you come to is worth smiling for!"_

She then turned her head towards the nearby track field, the Royal Woods Roosters continuing their practice despite break still being on. _"I wonder if Lynn is there? She might wanna hang out!"_ With that, she jogged over and took a seat under the shade of a nearby tree, before waiting for practice to end.

13-15-18-5 3-8-1-12-12-5-14-7-5-19 1-18-5 1-8-5-1-4, 2-21-20 12-1-14-1 23-15-14-'20 7-9-22-5 21-16! 6-15-18 12-15-12-1, 19-8-5 23-9-12-12 6-9-7-8-20!

 **A/N And there we go! Only a few more chapters remain until the end! I hope you guys enjoyed so far! As always, R &R! **

**Review Replies (C24):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: Thanks, though who knows the answer to that?**

 **SuperParkerBros: Yeah, no. I'd rather not have a six-year-old end herself.**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Probably not mate, probably not.**

 **Gamemod: Thanks! Time for some brevity in a heavy story.**

 **Tristen: Soon, soon!**


	26. Let The Games Begin

**A/N Hey guys, I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! We're really closing in on the end of the fic, so I hope you guys enjoy what I'm putting out! I hope you guys enjoy this one!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty-Six: Let The Games Begin

Lana sat below that tree, the cool breeze brushing across her face as she lifted her head up to the cool sky. _"Man, it's been a while…"_ Truth be told, given the events of the passed months, she never did find the time to simply stop and smell the roses. And though they were covered in snow she imagined their warm and lively smells filling new nostrils.

" _Man, I wonder how Lola would enjoy the day. Maybe ice skating or trying out new tricks, right? Yeah, that's probably something she'd try,"_ She looked ahead towards the field. _"Or maybe she'd try to cheer Lynn on. Heh, I remember that she somehow managed to get onto the cheerleading squad for the last game of the season. Just like her."_

After that, more memories rushed forward, all filling her mind with the soft cold winds of the winter, of all the adventures she and her family would have as they explored the soft sheets of white that took over their home or covered the jungle at the park.

And in response, she couldn't help but chuckle. _"So many good times together… Don't worry, I'm gonna bring that back soon. Just gotta… get everyone back together. And then things will be just like old times when you get back. Could on it."_ Slowly, she felt her eyes begin to droop, the soft allure of slumber quickly overtaking her, before she rolled over and made herself comfortable, though she did find it difficult due to the fresh layer of cold snow. _"Well, Lynn's practice isn't gonna be over for a few hours, maybe getting some sleep would be nice… Then I'll be able to keep up with her."_

* * *

And a moment later, she found herself standing before a certain young girl with long, blonde hair.

She gave a soft smile at the sight. Despite the fact that these had become more and more common as the days passed, she found herself enjoying them more and more. It was as if her sister was speaking to her again, reminding her that no matter what happened she would always be around.

"Man, don't you just love winter?" Lola skipped forward and twirled, before landing in a pile of snow. "So nice and cool."

Lana chuckled, before coming to her side, a soft smile having already overtaken her. "Heh, yeah," She quickly scooped up some snow. "And what I like to do when it-"

Yet, before she could launch her ordinance, Lola sent a snowball flying, nailing her twin in the face. "G'ahh!"

Lola fell back in laughter. "Haha! You're not getting me this time, Lans! I'm queen of the snow to-"

Yet, not to be outdone, Lana quickly turned and scooped up more of the ice, before sending it soaring, managing to hit her sister square in the face with that. "Heh, not today!" The plumber beat her chest. "I will be queen today!"

"We'll see about that!" And with that, the princess ducked behind cover, launching her snow shells, while Lana rushed forward.

Snowballs rained down upon the older twin as she stormed the hastily-made snow trench and pounced, causing the duo to roll in the snow for a moment, before landing on the backs, soft smiles overtaking their faces.

"Heh, man," Lana cracked a smile. "Why do all of our snow fights end like this?"

Lola shrugged. "Who knows? But I wouldn't have it any other way."

"I love you, Lola," The plumber spoke in a soft, warm voice as she placed a hand on top of her twin's.

And in reply, the princess simply smiled and rolled her hand under the older girl's. "Always, I will love you."

* * *

"Hey," Lynn stepped over and placed a soft hand on her sister's shoulder, stirring her from her slumber. "You there?"

Slowly, the younger girl opened her eyes. "Huh?"

"Uhh, what're you doin' here, Lana?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Ya know, I have practice and stuff, so were you plannin' on hangin' out or something?"

Lana calmly pulled herself up and nodded. "Yeah, I just finished hanging out with Lisa so…" She rubbed the back of her head. "I was wondering if you wanted to spend some time together and stuff."

For a moment, Lynn paused, her eyes seemingly staring passed her little sister, before she looked away.

"Lynn, please," She clasped her hands together, before pulling them back and widening her eyes, seemingly trying to make herself even cuter than she already was."

Lynn let out a breath in defeat. Despite how she felt, there was very little she could do against a cuteness attack from her little sister. "All right, all right," She gave a soft smile. "What did you have in mind?"

Lana rubbed her chin, before shrugging. "I dunno… wanna hang out on the field and stuff?" She stepped over and gave Lynn a playful punch. "Maybe you could show off some of your moves. I know how much you like doing that."

The older girl gave a soft smile at that. No matter how difficult things may seem, if she's allowed to show off her skills, that means that there is still plenty to look forward to. And so, she turned and motioned for her sister to follow.

Lana complied, wasting no time standing off in the sidelines, while Lynn held a football in her arms. She rested down in the snow, raising her rear to the sky, before she jerked up and lobbed the ball, sending it flying high above her for a moment.

Lynn could feel her heart race as she pushed her way through the snow. Her eyes focused on her target as she jumped up and rolled, freeing herself from the difficult terrain of the snow, before she landed and fell forward. The ball hurled towards the ground, the young woman effectively crawling before she stopped, allowing the ball to land nicely in her hands.

"Nice!" Lana jumped up, flaring her arms in excitement.

Lynn glanced at her little sister. "You think that was cool? You haven't seen anything yet!" She quickly hopped to her feet and passed the ball to the younger girl… who fumbled with it, before tossing it up, allowing it to land in her arms. "Heh, butter fingers, sis."

Lana's face went red in embarrassment, before she gave a quick nod. "Heh, well, mud balls aren't this hard and stuff."

The older girl raised her eyebrow in confusion. "Uhh, I know… but I haven't seen you play with mud in a while."

" _Since the accident…"_ She shook her head. "It's nothing. How about you show me why you tossed this to me?" She raised the football and gave a soft smile.

For a moment, the older girl paused, her mind hesitating on whether or not to push forward, yet, she simply shrugged. _"It's nothing… right? She already spilled the beans on everything, right?"_ She then stepped back. "All right. I want you to toss it high in the air for me!"

Lana nodded, reeled back, and lobbed it as high as her little girl muscles could muster.

In reply, Lynn bent her knees and sprung up, flipping through the air before she flipped and caught the ball, performing a superhero landing a moment later. "And, tada!"

"Nice one, Lynn!" The young girl cheered.

She placed a hand on her hip and tossed the ball over to her little sister. "Why don't you try, Lana?"

The blonde looked down at the ball in worry. "I dunno…"

"You wanted to hang out, right?" Lynn went. "You know this is how I hang out with people!"

Lana gulped. _"If I'm gonna make sure that this place is perfect for Lola to see, then I have to do everything I have to!"_ She then passed the ball back. "All right, let's do it."

Lynn gave a soft smile, before tossing the ball up, just high enough for Lana to catch. In reply, the young girl jumped and tried to flip. _"Come on, pageant practice, don't fail me now!"_

The older girl watched as her little sister spun through the air, before reaching for the ball… only for it to bounce off the tips of her fingers and go off bouncing into the field while Lana fell flat on the ground in defeat. "Dang it."

Lynn stepped over and took a seat next to her sister. "Heh, not bad for a first attempt," She chuckled.

" _Dang it,"_ Lana let out a breath. She rubbed her head in frustration, before looking to her sister. "Well I guess…" She paused.

Lynn stood there, her arms shaking as she bowed her head. "Dangit!"

In an instant, Lana rushed to her feet and grabbed Lynn's hand. "No, don't run again."

The older girl glanced back, her eyes filled with shame. "I let you get hurt again…" She kicked herself. "I knew I shouldn't have tried that! I know you practiced a lot of spinning and dancing in the air but…"

Lana pulled her hand, prompting her to look up again. "Lynn, it's not your fault."

"But-"

The younger girl placed a soft hand on her chest. "Lynn, I know I got hurt but, even if you try to stop it, I'm always gonna get hurt. We all will." She leaned forward and wrapped her arms around her. "But we love you anyways."

For a moment, Lynn looked away, before returning the embrace.

"For what it's worth, none of us blame you for what happened to Lola," She pushed back and looked into her older sister's eyes. "And she'd want you to have fun."

"You think so?" The athlete raised an eyebrow in curiosity."

"Yeah," Lana pulled back and flipped, only stumble and fall on her face again. "Heh, I think she'd laugh at that. She always did enjoy some fun."

"Yeah, I guess she did," The young woman gave a fond smile, before she stepped over and offered a hand to her little sister, and the little girl accepted. A moment later, Lana was sitting on her rear while Lynn took a seat in front of her, tossing up a small ball as she did so. "So, why'd you wanna hang out today?"

For a moment, Lana considered trying to lie, to try and simply chalk it up to just wanting to hang out with her big sis again. And truth be told, a part of her truly did wanna hang out.

"No reason really." She smiled. "It's just… ever since the pageant, we really haven't done much."

Lynn chuckled a bit. "Got another idea to try and wake her up?"

"No," Lana shook her head. "After what happened… well, I guess I realized that there really wasn't much for us to do. Even with everyone helping out, nothing seemed to work."

"So, do you think she's gonna be gone forever?" Lynn asked, her voice softening.

"No, not a chance," Lana hopped to her feet and stepped over to the ball, wasting no time picking it up and prepping herself. "But until she comes back, I wanna make sure that there'll be something waiting for her."

Lynn crossed her arms. "I see," She snickered, before softening her gaze and climbing to her feet. "Heh, but if we're gonna hang out, how about we get someone else to join us? They've been stuck in their room playing video games all day after all."

Lana tilted her head in confusion. "Uhh… who?"

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

"Hey Stinkoln!" Lynn sent her foot into the door, forcing it open as well as causing the boy behind it to jump in surprise.

"G'ahh! Lynn?!" He went.

Lana immediately came up from behind her. "Hey Lincoln! We wanna play a game, but we need another player!"

For a moment, the young boy paused, his eyes glazing over his sisters.

"Please," Lana clasped her hands and put them behind her, widening her eyes as if to appear more cute than she already was.

Despite the amount of times his sisters would do this to him, even he wasn't immune to its effects. There was just something about Lana being so excited and smiling that pushed him to take a breath and nod. "All right, all right," He hopped to his feet. "So what did you two have in mind?"

After that, Lynn grabbed her brother and pulled, effectively dragging him through the home and out to the backyard, before shoving a ball in his hands. Lana followed soon after, her little legs unable to keep up with her elder siblings'.

"The game is simple, we're gonna play some catch," A sinister expression overtook Lynn's face, before she tossed the ball up. "The person who keeps their hands on it the longest, wins!"

"Cold potato then!" Lana instantly rushed over, quickly scaling the tree, before flipping through the air, catching the ball in mid-flight. "Easy!"

"Not quite!" Lincoln slid passed his sister, easily grabbing the ball, before running off, trying to put as much space between him and the duo.

Yet, not to be outdone, Lynn pounced, causing the duo to roll in the grass for a moment, before she forced herself up onto her feet, raising the ball triumphantly. "Haha! It's mine!"

Lana and Lincoln looked to each other and smiled, before they both charged.

"Uh-oh," Lynn reacted by turning and trying to bolt across the front yard. Yet, the younger girl anticipated this, swinging from the patio to cut off her advance.

The athlete glanced back, her mind racing in excitement as her mind came up with a plan. She jumped over her little sister and blew a raspberry at her, before turning… while Lincoln ran squarely into his little sister.

"Haha!" The plumber could feel the excitement build in her chest as she pushed herself from the snow and scooped up a ball. "If you can't catch em…" She reeled back, waiting for a moment, while Lincoln pushed himself forward to give chase to his sister.

Then… *Smack*

"Ahh! I'm hit!" Lynn went, clutching her chest, before falling down in a pile and letting her tongue plop out.

Lana flared her arms in excitement. "Yes! We win! The ball is ours!"

Lynn chuckled and pushed herself up. "Heh, not a bad shot," She pushed herself up and pat her head. "Man, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you practiced it."

" _I have… with Lola,"_ She gave a soft, fond smile.

"Catch!" Another voice called out, only for Lynn to jump up and catch a football again.

Lana quickly turned, only to find, Lincoln, reeling back, ready to play the next game.

"Monkey in the Middle!" Lynn shouted, before lobbing it back.

"No fair!" Lana laughed. "I wasn't ready!" She jumped up, trying to catch it.

Yet, Lincoln rolled and scored before she could. "Gotta be quicker than that, Lans!" Then, he tried to toss it back.

However, just like before, Lana ran and grabbed at the patio, quickly climbing it before flipping and plunking it out of the air. "Thanks for the ribbon dance practice, Linky!"

"Haha, fine, I guess I deserved that," With that, he stepped between the duo and they continued their game all the way until the daily lights turned on to signal their return home.

* * *

"Man, what a workout!" Lynn stretched as she stepped into their home.

"Worth it though!" Lincoln went with a smile.

" _All in a day's work,"_ The youngest among them glanced back, her eyes focusing upon the bright stars above. _"And soon, everyone's gonna be ready for you to come back. You can count of it."_

"Hey Lana," The athlete placed a soft hand upon her sister's shoulder. "You feelin' ok?"

She nodded quickly. "Never better." Before she stretched and yawned. "Anyways, I'm gonna head upstairs. Maybe take a nap before dinner."

"Heh, all right then." Lynn punched her palm. "Just remember, if you wanna hang out again, you know where to find me!"

"Count on it," Lana nodded with a smile, before she stepped passed her siblings and made her way upstairs. _"Man, I can't believe it, heh. I didn't expect Lynn to push me that hard, but hey. She was smiling."_ She glanced back, taking a quick look at her brother, before turning and entering her room. _"I haven't seen Lincoln enjoy getting pulled outside like that in a long time. Heh, I guess some things just never change."_

*Ribbit*

The young girl quickly looked back, allowing a certain frog to come into view. "Hops?"

*Ribbit* he hopped over and pulled out his bowl, motioning towards it as he did so.

"Heh, sure," She stepped over and grabbed some of his feed. _"I guess I haven't been taking care of him lately. I should thank Lincoln for watching him,"_ She took a breath as she poured. _"Without him, I definitely wouldn't have been able to keep going. Thanks Lincoln, you're the best."_

"Poo-poo!" Another person called out. Though Lana already knew who it was.

"Hey Lily!" She excitedly stepped over to her little sister and nuzzled her. "What're you doing here?"

"Lo-La," Lily replied, giving Lana a kiss.

The older girl let out a breath in defeat. "I'm sorry Lily, Lola's not gonna be back yet. She still hasn't woken up."

Lily pouted in reply.

"But hey, don't worry, she's gonna be back, I just know it," Lana pushed Lily's chin up, allowing her to look into her sister's eyes. "You can count on it."

The baby gave a small nod, before Lana turned to face that side of the room. _"My question is though, who's next? Lisa got out of the house. Lynn and Lincoln hung out outside too."_

Hey mind wandered for a moment. "Who do you think I should help next, Lily?"

Lily rubbed her chin, before nuzzling close and taking a nap.

"Heh, yeah, maybe I should just rest and figure that out in the morning." And so, she turned and headed out of the room, wasting no time putting her sister to sleep before going out to eat dinner.

 **A/N And there we go! Another chapter is in the bag! I hope you guys enjoyed so far! As always, R &R! In other news, I got a new iPad so I'll have an easier time writing on that than on my laptop! Plus, I can draw now!**

14-5-22-5-18 7-9-22-5 21-16 12-1-14-1, 8-15-16-19 23-1-19 8-21-14-7-18-25 23-1-9-20-9-14-7 6-15-18 25-15-21!

 **Review Replies (C25):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: I imagine Lisa would have trouble with platformers, only to keep trying until she develops her hands well enough to play them!**

 **DreadedCandiru2: You're getting the goal!**

 **SuperParkerBros: Err no promises mate. Sorry, but that doesn't really sound like an idea I'd do.**

 **Gamemod: Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed!**


	27. The Medicine Of Laughter

**A/N Hey guys! Sorry for being a bit late, but hey, you can't rush getting it right after all! I hope you guys enjoy this!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty-Seven: The Medicine Of Laughter

"Heh, so far it sounds like you've had some fun," Skippy went, glancing at Lana as he did so.

The young girl nodded in reply. "Yeah, not gonna lie, I've had the most fun in months these past few days."

"Well then, all I've gotta say is that that's some pretty good timing," The boy turned and made his way towards a small garage with Lana following soon after. "I'm glad you wanted to come today," He outstretched his arms, seemingly trying to show off a building that his companion had no doubt seen hundreds of times before. "Welcome back!"

Lana cracked a smile. No matter how mundane the task, Skippy would always find a way to make it more interesting. "Yeah, it's good to be back," With that, they stepped forward and entered the building.

Instantly, her nose was assaulted by the soft scents of lubricant of burning rubber, as her eyes took in the garage, its racks filled from end to end in bike parts and their tables overwhelmed by the sheer numbers off bikes.

"Heh, even in the off season, there's still more work to be done," The young girl couldn't help, but quip.

"Course, but that's what makes this fun," Skippy then stepped over and grabbed a wrench off one of the racks, only to instantly chuck it at his companion. "Catch!"

Effortlessly, Lana caught it, and turned, wasting no time beginning work on what appeared to be a bike made out of some wooden planks nailed together. _"Ehh, it ain't much, but if it's got two wheels, I'm pretty sure it can be a bike."_

For the next few minutes after that, they worked on the bikes. For them, it was a small business, asking the other children of the neighborhood for four or five dollars to fix up their bicycles. Of course, they couldn't do much besides a few tweaks and the occasional tire filling, but all in all, it was a simple task.

And one they took a lot of pride in accomplishing.

"Heh, man, I missed this," She whispered, her eyes glancing back at the boy she had started this little venture with. _"It's like nothing ever changed…"_ She paused for a moment, only to quickly shake her head. _"No, this is what Lola would want. She'd wanna come and ride with us, and if she's gonna be able to do it, I need to make sure I can make the best bike ever just for her!"_

"Knock, knock," A familiar voice greeted.

"Huh?" Lana turned to the source: Luan, holding her unicycle. "Oh, hi."

"Hey…" Her voice trailed off for a moment. "So, I, uhh… overheard you talking to Skippy about doing bike stuff again, and I was just wondering if you could… help me out a bit."

Skippy wiped his hands off and nodded. "Sure. What seems to be the problem?"

In reply, the young woman poked the bike, causing the locking mechanism to buckle and the wheel to pop off. "This… I have to perform later and I can't have this fall apart on me again!"

Skippy stepped over and took the device in his hands. "No problem, we'll have this fixed in a jiffy!" Before he turned and stepped over to the nearby workbench to do his thing.

"So, you're getting back to performing?" Lana tilted her head in curiosity.

"Yeah…" She rubbed the back of her head. "I took a break cause I wasn't feeling good, but now, I kinda need the money and stuff."

Lana tilted her head in curiosity. "Need help?"

"No," Another voice went, causing Lana to jump into Luan's arms. Thankfully, the young girl reacted and caught her just in time.

"Lucy! How many times have we told you to stop doing that!" The younger girl went, before hopping from her perch. "Thanks Luan."

"No problem."

"Anyways, I was lacking in inspiration so I decided to join Luan for a comeback performance…" She looked away slightly. "Though I'm unsure if a happy party is going to help me much."

"Well, it couldn't hurt, right?" Lana shrugged. "After all, it could be fun, that might be just what you need to get the ol' noggin' and creativity flowin' again."

Lucy looked away and shrugged.

After that, Skippy stepped over with the completed device in hand. "Anyways, I hope I'm not cutting in on anything, but I'm done!"

"Thanks, Skippy," Luan pulled out a five and gave it over, before hopping on the unicycle and peddling off. "Anyways, see ya! I've got a party to entertain! If you wanna come by, I'm a few blocks that way! The Sherman residence!"

"I have to go as well," The Goth girl went, before a flash of dark filled the air, allowing her to disappear with Lana only able to look at where she stood in confusion.

"Man, your sisters are pretty cool," Skippy chuckled at that.

Lana nodded in agreement. "Yeah, they are," before she rubbed her chin. _"They both seem to be having trouble… maybe I could try to help them out today! It couldn't hurt, right?"_

The boy turned and nodded. "You're thinking of going off with them, aren't ya?"

"Yeah," The girl nodded.

"Head off then, I've got this handled," He picked up a wrench and motioned for her to head off. "Have fun, and make sure to bring me back some cake! Got it?!"

For a moment, she considered trying to decline, but her desire for cake and to see her sisters in action easily overtook that idea. And so, she smiled. "Thanks Skippy! Don't worry, I'll make this up to you later!" Before she turned and bolted out the door.

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

Soon enough, she found herself walking up to a small home with a stage set up in its backyard. _"Yep! This is the place!"_ Before she turned and rushed along the side, sticking her head out from behind a wall to not interrupt the show.

"What do you get when you mix a koala and a bear? A panda!" Luan punned, flaring her arms out in emphasis.

Yet, the crowd didn't react.

From her perch, Lana watched as Luan quickly put on a smile, stood up straight and pulled out her trusty puppet.

"Man Luan, your delivery was pretty wooden!" He went, before turning to the crowd. "Like me!"

Sadly, the crowd seemed disinterested in the act, and already, had started glancing at the birthday cake sitting nearby.

Lana watched as her big sister continued on, trying and failing to get anything more than a bored reaction out of the children, leading to one of the parents walking over and going. "All right then kids! Give it up for Luan! We'll get her to come back in a few!"

Another parent then came up with a cake slicer. "Now who wants some?!"

Instantly, the crowd of kids rushed to their feet and turned, instantly swarming the woman carrying their delicious treat.

With that, Luan let out a breath. "Well that could've gone better."

Lucy appeared at her side a moment later. "Agreed," She pulled out her notebook. "But, at least this is giving me some ideas. How does this sound? Kids, bored, learning how to watch paint dry, maybe it's time to cut the cord?"

"You're always the helpful one, Lucy," The comedian let out a breath in defeat. "I just don't get it…"

"Hey, Luan, what's going on?" Lana slowly approached her sister, concern filling her voice. "You're usually… ya know, more cheerful and funny."

"It's nothing," She shook her head. "Just… I needed to get warmed up," She pushed herself to her feet and stretched. "After this break I'm definitely gonna be ready and then, boom!" She clapped her hands together. "They're gonna love it!"

For a moment, Lana looked into her sister's eyes, trying her best to believe her reassurances.

And yet, she couldn't help, but pause. _"She sounds… off,"_ before she softened her gaze. "You sure Luan?"

"Yeah, never better!" She quickly looked away, towards her box full of random props.

Lucy stepped over and placed a hand on Luan's shoulder. "Luan, you know that you can't lie to me."

"What happened, Luan?" Lana came on her side. "Is it about… Lola?"

"No, not at all," She quickly looked away from her. "I just… I've been out of practice. I just…" Her voice trailed off.

"Luan, then please, let us help you, we can do it, together!" Lana urged. "You can make everyone laugh again!"

Yet, she shook her head. "Lana… you don't get it." With that, she grabbed her briefcase full of goodies and stared, before stretching. "I'm gonna take a walk to clear my head. I'll be ready when I get back." With that she turned and stepped away, leaving Lucy and Lana behind.

"Sigh, I guess Luan just doesn't want help?" Lucy shrugged.

Yet, her sister hesitated. _"No, there's more to it than that,"_ She rubbed her chin. _"When I asked for her help… she told me she that she would always wanna be there for us…"_ Her mind began to fill with the thoughts of that day, about how Luan tried to push her away. _"She didn't wanna help because she realized that there wasn't anything that she could do…"_

"Ya know… I haven't actually seen her laugh since that performance of yours," Lucy rubbed her shoulder. "I've seen her around but..."

" _But she didn't do it on her own,"_ The younger let out a sigh in defeat. _"What are we gonna do then? Luan has to feel better if she's gonna perform for these kids and…"_ her thoughts drifted off slightly, allowing a familiar smile to fill her psyche.

"I don't know what to do either…" The black-haired girl shook her head.

" _I wish I did…"_ Lana turned to her older sister. "Lucy… what about you?"

"What do you mean?" She raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I know it's weird, but… it's just, after everything that's happened, you never really seem like it's affecting you," Her voice softened. "You agreed to help me out, you helped me with Luan before, but… you never seemed like Lola… being gone did anything."

Lucy shook her head. "No reason. I just… I suppose I accepted the idea quicker than most."

Yet, her little sister turned her towards her. "Lucy, I know you don't wanna say why, but Lola taught me how to spot lies, and so I know one when I see it!" She looked passed the Goth's black hair and into her eyes. "Please, tell me the truth. Why haven't you reacted like anyone else?"

For a moment, Lucy considered putting off the idea and disappearing. And yet, as she looked into her little sister's eyes, she felt herself ease a bit. As if there was more to why Lana was going after her like this. "Why?"

"Why do I wanna know?" Lana instantly replied. "Because, I want Lola to be happy."

"What do you mean?"

"I wanna make sure that when Lola does come back, she'll be able to smile at our family and pick up right back where she left off," The younger girl continued. "I know you talk to the spirits and stuff, and I know you think you know the truth, but I'm sure that we can prove them wrong! I don't want help with waking her up anymore. I want you to be happy, so that…"Her voice trailed off, soft tears beginning to fill her eyes. "So that she'll be too."

Suddenly, the air heated up a bit, as the Goth turned to her sister and squatted to her height. For a moment, they gazed into each other's eyes, before she did something foreign to her.

She smiled.

"What?" Lana tilted her head in confusion.

With that, Lucy inched forward, wrapping her arms around her. "The spirits told me that you'd understand what you had to do. And that it was my job to help you in it, no matter what."

The younger girl did the same, nestling herself in her sister's shoulder. "Thanks Lucy, so how do you feel about Lola."

"I've been doing my best not to show it," She whispered, pain filling her voice. "I know that I… that I talk about death and life as if there's nothing unknown to fear, but… truth is, I'm worried myself. When I saw Lola like that… I wanted to do something. I wanted to help her, but there's nothing. No magic contract, no spirit healing. Nothing I could do."

"So the spirits your talk to just told you to wait and be ready? And Lola would come back in time."

Lucy pulled back and wiped a tear from her eye. "No. They just told me that the time would come where you'll understand what has to be done. When I tried to ask if she'd recover, they didn't reply. They just said. 'Things will happen as they are destined'."

"A part of me wants to know more," She continued, looking into Lana's eyes. "But… like you said, maybe it'll be better if we can change her fate."

Lana nodded. "Thanks Lucy, thanks," Before she broke their embrace and turned. "Now then, we have to help Luan, but how?" She rubbed her chin again. "She lost her desire for laughs so now… we're gonna have to remind her how fun they are again!"

The Goth girl raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Oh? So how do you plan on doing that?"

With that, Lana turned and picked up the box full of goodies and random props. "Simple. When she gets back, we're gonna make sure she gets all the laughs we can," She looked down and raised up the box. "After all, Lola would want smiles too, ya know."

Lucy nodded and disappeared. "I'll go get her back."

With that, Lana turned and took a breath. _"Let's make a world for Lola to smile for! Don't worry Luan, I won't let you down! Not now, not ever!"_

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

"I dunno Lucy, didn't I mess this up enough already?" Luan spoke in a defeated tone. "I just wanna go home… at least that way I can't people sad or bored…"

"Don't worry Luan, I'm sure you won't this time around," Lucy pulled her big sister back along the side of the house towards the backyard. "Because this time you're getting some help!"

The comedian raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who?"

"What did the fox say? You're quite the foxy one aren't ya?!" Lana called out, her voice filled with confidence, as the crowd of kids laughed out loud.

Luan could feel her heart begin to race. That was the first time she had heard that crowd laugh, and at a stupid pun too! For a second, she had worried that they had no funny bones in their bodies, but that proved they did!

Slowly, the comedian stepped over. "Mind if I cut in?"

Lana smiled at her older sister and bowed to the side. "Of course! Come on in!"

"Hey, what'd the cow say to the Scotsman?" Luan started. "Butter me up Scotty!"

The crowd of kids looked at her in confusion.

The younger girl chuckled and took her hand and whisper. "Come on Luan, I know you can do this!" Before she turned back. "Come on go again."

"Sorry about that, kids," She startered, energy beginning to fill her voice. That last joke was an **udder** -catastrophe!"

The children began to chuckle with that.

"Heh, just try not to have your cake and eat it too!" Lana let go and stepped to the side, waving her finger at her sister as she did so.

"Aww, but it's a birthday party!" She countered. "Don't be the **party popper**!" Then, before anyone could react, she pulled out a party popper and fired, showing the kids in confetti, causing them to cheer in laughter.

"Wow, it really looks like you all really are having fun, mind if I join in?" Lucy suddenly appeared next to Luan, yet, neither of them jumped in surprise. "It'd be cool if I got to suck some blood!" Before she bared her teeth, revealing freshly sharpened fangs.

In reply Lana stepped forward. "Course Ms. Vamp!"

"We have to be careful though. We don't wanna paint this part red though!" Luan went. "After all, orange you glad we ain't yellow?!"

The crowd laughed at that, the joke so terrible that it was funny.

Luan then turned to Lana and gave her a soft smile. "Thanks."

"No problem," The blonde went in reply.

And with that, the trio went on to perform for the rest of the party.

12-1-21-7-8-20-5-18 9-19 20-8-5 2-5-19-20 13-5-4-9-3-9-14-5 1-6-20-5-18 1-12-12!

 **A/N I hope you guys enjoyed! As always, R &R! Anyways, for those curious, I have this story planned out to C30, so there's only 3 chapters left. Man, I'm excited!**

 **Review Replies (C26):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: Thanks!**

 **Kirby: Cool, could make for an interesting love triangle if done well.**

 **Tristen: Soon, soon.**

 **Flameas: As much as I'd love to do that, in this case, that'd be a huge cop out. Lisa probably would've suggested it as well a while ago.**

 **LoudHouseLover1999: Answered in the A/N and who knows when she'll be back?**

 **SuperParkerBros: Sorry mate. I checked my reply and I realized where it could've been confusing. I meant "no problem" to your thanks for a reply. If you want though, you could write it yourself.**

 **Gamemod: Thanks!**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Yep!**

 **Yo: So I didn't have this explicitly spelled out, but Lana performed under Lola's name, and since they're twins, no one was any wiser. Thanks though! And I'm glad you remember!"**


	28. The Things We Hide

**A/N Man, it feels good nearing the end. I hope you guys enjoy this!  
**

 **R &R**

Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Things We Hide

"Man, I can't believe we actually pulled it off!" Luan's voice filled with excitement as she pulled her wagon of supplies along. "I for sure thought that I was gonna bomb!"

Lana chuckled. "Hey, don't sell yourself short. Just because it was a tough crowd doesn't mean you were gonna bomb!" She waved a finger at her. "Plus, it was no problem! I had fun doing that stuff ya know!"

"I'm just glad I received the inspiration I need. I only have two more chapters left in this poetry story I'm writing and I needed it to get that little bit of push I needed to get to the end."

"That's nice to hear, sis," Luan gave her a smile. "Just make sure not to block your writing!" Before she quickly rummaged through her supplies and pulled out a small building block. "It might make your work a bit, wooden!" With that, she threw her head back in laughter.

And her sisters couldn't help, but do the same in reply.

With that, they continued on, the soft lights of the day waning as they moved along. Though the rest of the party didn't seem to last so long, the children played on and on until parent after parent decided that enough was enough and it was time to go. The trio of course stayed till the very end to keep the entertainment going.

Eventually though, they too packed up and headed out, with Luan receiving her pay and her sisters smiling as they watched her.

"Thanks for your help you guys, I don't know if I could've done it without you," Luan finally went, her voice filling with appreciation.

Lana smiled and wrapped an arm around her. "Don't mention it," Before she glanced up, the stars slowly showing themselves in the ever purpling sky. _"Don't worry Lola, step by step, I'm making the best world for you to come back to! Just you wait!"_

"So, Lana, got any plans?" The comedian wrapped an arm around her little sister.

"Nope," She shook her head. "I just wanna make sure you're happy," She scratched the back of her head. "Truth be told, I kinda missed hearing your jokes all the time."

"Heh, well then," She softened her gaze and pulled out a wrench. "Ms. Fix-it-up is on the case!"

Lucy smiled softly as she wrote in her book. _"The spirits seem happy… I wonder if we're almost there…"_ Before she closed it and looked ahead. _"Soon…"_

A few minutes later, they stepped back into their home, Luan wasting no time to stretch. "Man, it feels great to be home! I just hope we haven't crashed a party! Haha!"

Lana groaned, before snickering. No matter what happens, Luan's puns will always be so bad that they're good. "Anyways, I'll head up. Just tell me when dinner's ready!"

"You got it," Lucy nodded, before hopping on the couch and continuing to work on her newest poem.

With that, the plumber climbed the stairs and pushed into her room, letting out a breath, before smiling and looking towards the paintings once more. _"We're almost there, Lola. I know it. Everything's almost ready for you to come back and for us to be twins again!"_

And so, she let out a breath and turned, taking a glance out the room door. She closed her eyes and listened, her ears filling with the soft sounds of laughter she had grown so unfamiliar with. _"I know you'll love it too."_

 _ **The Next Day…**_

"So, you ready to hang out again, Lana?!" Lynn punched the air. "I wanna show off some more of my moves!"

"Heh, maybe," Lana waved her sister off. "Later though."

"Makes sense," Lucy appeared at her side. "Wanna hear a poem?"

The younger girl tilted her head in confusion. "Isn't that usually something Lincoln would do?"

The Goth looked down at her writing pad. "Yeah… but I was just wondering if you wanted to see my progress so far…"

For a moment, Lana rubbed her chin. "Hmm… well then, how about you show me it when you're done?" She motioned towards their brother, who was on the couch playing a game. "After all, I'm sure he'd love to help ya finish it!"

The boy quickly turned to them in confusion. "Huh?"

Yet, before he could even react, Lucy gave a small smile and nodded, before stepping over to him. "Hey Lincoln, I need help," Before she raised her eyes to him, begging him to comply.

And so, he let out a breath in defeat and put his controller down. "Fine! I'll help you!" Before pushing himself to his feet and walking along with Lucy.

" _I'm happy for them,"_ The plumber smiled, before turning… only to bump into another sister and fall onto her butt. "Ow!"

"Oh, sorry Lana," Leni quickly picked her supplies off the floor, doing her best not to look into her sister's eyes.

"Uhh, what's that stuff?" The younger girl tilted her head in confusion.

"Nothing!" She hastily replied, turning away, and running upstairs before her little sister could inquire further.

Quickly, Lana steeled her gaze. _"I wonder what's going on with her,"_ She rubbed her chin. _"Now that I think of it, I really haven't seen her since… the pageant…"_ She could feel a weight fill the bottom of her stomach. _"Dang it Lana! Why didn't you notice?!"_ She shook her head, before giving chase. _"Now's not the time, your job is to cheer up Leni! No matter what!"_

With that, she hopped to top of the landing and turned… only to bump into another sister. _"What the heck is going on with me?!"_ She looked up. "Sorry Luna."

"It's all right sis," She pushed herself up and tuned her guitar, before stepping passed and making her way downstairs. "Hey, Luna, what're you up to?"

The older girl turned back and shrugged. "Not sure. Luan's having a lot of fun with her pranks and well… I've been having trouble focusing on stuff."

"So you're trying to give yourself some space away from her?" She asked.

"Yeah…" Before she continued on her way. "I'll be… I dunno, outside if you need me," With that, she moved forward and headed outside.

For a moment, Lana let out a breath. _"Luna, Leni and Lori are the only sisters I haven't hung out with…"_ She raised her eyes up. _"And they're gonna need to be happy if Lola's gonna have everything she needs when she gets back!"_ She pushed forward, wasting no time knocking on the door to her eldest sisters' room. _"I'll help Luna later… I hate to see Leni so sad…"_

A few moments passed, before it opened up just a bit, allowing the young woman to peek at her visitor. "Hi Lana. Like what's up?"

The young girl paused for a second, taken aback at her rather… low key voice. Usually she would muster up everything she could to say 'hi' even going as far to start rambling about her day! And yet, she seemed… off. Like there was more on her mind than she let on.

" _I'm sorry for not talking to you sooner! Don't worry, I'm gonna make it up to you no matter what!"_ Lana rubbed her arm. "I was just wondering how you were feeling."

"I'm totes all right," She went, slowly inching back as she said so.

"That's good… uhh… do you have any clothes you wanna model?" She softly asked. "I mean, since, ya know, it's been a while since I tried some of your stuff on."

By a while, she meant, "since the pageant"

Leni paused, seemingly considering the idea for a moment, only to shake her head. "No, no, it's fine."

Lana softened her gaze. "Please Leni," She widened her eyes to beg. "I wanna try on the clothes my big sis made!"

In reply, the older girl widened her eyes as well, silently begging for Lana to relent… only to slam the door in her face.

"Dang it," Lana muttered. _"Well that could've gone better…"_ She took a breath and turned. _"I need to get into that room and find out what's bugging her! But how?"_ An idea popped into her mind. _"Duh! Lucy!"_ Before she rushed back down the stairs.

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

"Thanks for the boost," The plumber gave her big sister a thumbs' up, before she turned and peered into the window of her eldest sister's room.

"No problem," Lucy smiled, before disappearing, just as she had always done.

With that, Lana took a breath. _"All right Leni, lets figure out what's going on with you…"_ Before watching as the young woman began to scribble down at her desk, an ordinary task for her, and yet… something seemed off.

After a few seconds, she groaned, before crumpling up the design and throwing it away. She shook her head and turned to her sewing machine, immediately beginning to put something together. Yet, after a moment, she groaned and pulled out what she made, a seemingly random mess of fabrics and colors doing their best to pass as a dress.

" _So that's what's going on with her…"_ She rubbed her chin in realization. _"She's lost her inspiration! But how am I supposed to get it back…"_

"There is a world, that is beautiful and different! Uhh…" A familiar voice sung out, only to pause. "Dang it! Why can't I remember the lyrics?!"

Lana's eyes went wide in realization, before she stepped over to the edge of the roof. "Hey Luna!"

"Huh?" The young woman looked up. "Lana! What are you doin' up there?"

"Oh nothing much, mind helping me down?"

With that, the young woman placed her guitar on the ground, stepped over to the patio and outstretched her arms, ready to receive her sister. And a moment later, Lana dropped down, allowing Luna to catch her.

"Thanks," She scratched the back of her head. "I didn't think that through huh?"

"Ya think, sis?" Luna chuckled, before placing her down and returning to her guitar. "What were you doing up there anyways?"

"I was wondering what was going on with Leni and stuff, so I decided to see what's going on…" The plumber looked up. "And from the looks of it, you're having the same issue she is."

Luna raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What are you talking about?"

For a moment, Lana thought through her words, before thinking back. She didn't truly convince her back during the pageant, and yet she helped anyways.

"Luna… if you don't mind me asking, why'd you help me out during the pageant?"

The musician took a seat under the tree and shrugged. "Sam convinced me. It wasn't much, but I guess music helped you out, didn't it?"

Lana nodded. "Yeah…" Before she stepped over and took a seat next to her. "So… how's song writing going right now?"

The older girl looked down in disappointment. "Not too good…" She paused and looked away. "I guess… the words just aren't coming to me," She quickly looked back to Lana. "But it's no big deal. It's probably just a bit of writer's block and stuff. I'll work through it!"

The plumber looked into her older sister's eyes. "Luna… how long has this been happening?"

"A while…" her voice trailed off. "But it's just a dry spell…"

"How about I help you out then?" Lana wrapped an arm around her sister. "That why you'll know what to sing!"

"I'm not sure that'll work though?"

The younger girl chuckled. "Come on! It can't hurt, can it?"

Luna considered the idea and shrugged. "Yeah, I guess… but where to even start?"

" _She kicked me out because of a song Lola loved…"_ She looked into Luna's eyes. "Luna, how about a song Lola would enjoy."

She could feel the air tense up with that. Yet… Luna took a breath. There was no running away from this. If she was going to break through this, she'd have to stay and work. "All right then…"

"She loved your fast and lively songs ya know," The younger girl smiled. "Ever since I could remember, she always wanted to fit in…"

"Lana…" Luna looked back into her sister's eyes. "I know I haven't really seemed… anything more than calm given what's been going on…"

"Don't worry about it," Lana waved her off.

"Thanks…" She looked away. "Lana… I know we all had our things going on and while we did hang out a lot, none of us really knew her like you did."

The younger girl looked to her older sister in confusion. "Yeah?"

"What was she like to you?"

For a moment, Lana hesitated. How was she supposed to answer that? She was her sister, her twin! Everything she knew came from her! And yet, she found herself smiling fondly. "She was my everything." She looked aside. "Not gonna lie… I could've been better to her. She always mentioned how lonely she felt sometimes, but I just… never really talked to her about it."

Luna looked to her in confusion.

"I know how she felt at night, But I never really pushed her about it. I just never got it until… until I started sleeping in my room alone."

The musician began to strum.

"I know how she feels at night, standing all alone," She looked to her older sister. "Would you tell me what's real and right, cause I don't know anymore," She shook her head. "And all this is starting to kill me inside, to see these walls are crashing down the heartless acts and the selfish sounds, with all that trying, she stop fighting, while darkness, darkness , it took her away," She slammed her fist against her thighs. "Oh I tried, but I couldn't stop the pain."

"Lana, it wasn't your fault," Luna spoke up.

"Yes it was! It all was!" She shook her head. "I knew she had problems. I knew that she had trouble making friends, and I knew that this wasn't good, but what'd I do? Just throw her away!"

Luna leaned in and whispered. "She likes to look at the bottle, from the bottom, every time she looks at her face at the bottle, from the bottom, she sees a life that was so much different when she, was a young girl, she could stand all the town from the hillside screaming, to the world, to stop the curse, she begged and prayed that someday she'd see a change."

The younger girl looked up. "What?"

Slowly, she wrapped her arms around her. "She loved you no matter what, I know that… please, keep telling me what she was to you."

Lana hesitated. "She said I always knew the truth, and never told anyone. I just closed my eyes, and it was done. And now when the lights go off I say, 'what's goin' on?' And with all that fighting, she stopped trying, to get away from the terrible sounds of the heartbreaks, and earthquakes and life safe's, so far away…"

Luna pushed her forward and looked into Lana's eyes. "She was our sister."

"That's why I want to make it up to her," The younger girl took a breath. "I wanna make the world perfect for her."

The young woman cracked a small smile, before leaning back and playing her guitar. "Please then, finish telling me what she was to you."

"I know how she feels at night…" Lana softly sang. "Standing all alone, and I remember a dark September, when they came and made her surrender," She began to tear up. "They took her to a place that we could never say…"

"She liked to look at the bottle, from the bottom," Luna continued.

"But she was always there for me," The younger girl finished. "She was everything… and I let her down."

Silence overtook the duo with that.

Softly, Luna plucked her strings once more. "Under the tree where the grass don't grow," She looked at Lana. "We made a promise to never get old. You took a chance and you took it on me. And I made a promise that I couldn't keep…"

The younger girl closed her eyes and rested against the tree, allowing her sister's soft singing to fill her ears.

"Spoken promises, laced in red ribbon. Hoping to one day save all of them. Joking around and making silly faces, it was all fun until that day came. Under the surface, how could we have known that our plan would fall to pieces?" With that, she stopped and smiled. "Thanks Lana."

"No problem sis," She nodded, before pushing herself up. "Mind helping me help Leni too?"

"Sure, what's up?"

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

"Leni?" Lana pushed into her big sister's room again.

The young woman didn't reply, her mind too focused on the task at hand to notice her sisters.

Slowly, Luna stepped over and placed a hand on the eldest's shoulder. "Hey, Leni."

"Huh?" She snapped back to reality, before quickly returning to her sewing. "Oh… hi guys… what brings you here?"

Lana looked to her big sister in concern. "Leni… we're worried about you. What's goin' on?"

"Nothing!" She hastily answered. "I'm just… making dresses and stuff!"

Luna looked to the side, taking in the discarded pile of failed designs, before nodded. "Uhh… for who?"

The older girl shook her head. "No one… I'm just… having trouble and stuff. I'll be fine later."

"That's what Luna just said," Lana came on her other side and looked at her current work, a strange mix of colors still attempting to be a pattern of sorts, though without any reason or rhyme to be together. "Leni… please, let us help you."

"How?" She tilted her head in confusion.

" _What would Lola do with her…"_ Lana rubbed her chin.

Luna hummed in reply, before whispering. "You… you'll break my heart. You're gonna tear me apart, but no matter what you do… I'll still be there for you…"

" _Lola's dress…"_ The realization dawned on her, prompting her to run out of the room and come back a moment later holding a familiar garment. "Let's have some fun."

Leni's eyes went wide as she watched Lana rush behind the changing board and came back now clad in her beautiful blue pageant dress. "Aww!"

Luna smiled and turned, entering Leni's closet, before coming out now clad in a purple dress. "Sorry for never trying this on before," She returned and looked at her rear. "Not gonna lie, this is pretty comfortable, sis."

With that, Leni hopped to her feet. "I like, totes have more dresses! Come on!" Before she ran in the closet. "I just… I haven't had anyone to talk to about them!" She smiled. "Thanks you two."

"No problem," Lana answered as Leni threw another dress on her. "Heh, you're so adorable!"

"Don't forget me," Luna spoke up, only for her older sister to push her behind the boards again and shove more dresses in her hands.

" _Don't worry Lola. A happy Leni is a good Leni, and she'll be there for you too!"_

And with that, the girls continued on, enjoying the dress up that they hadn't done in months.

13-5-12-15-4-9-5-19 15-6 20-8-5 8-5-1-18-20 3-1-14 9-14-19-16-9-18-5 1-14-25-15-14-5!

 **A/N And there we go! The end is near for this fic! I hope you guys enjoyed it! See ya next week!**

 **Songs used:** **"From The Bottom" By Shallow Side, "The Days" By Avicii, "Hopes And Dreams" by Aria Rose, "A World Without Danger" by the Subdigitials.**

 **Review Replies (C27):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: Thanks!**

 **SuperParkerBros: The simplest way to start is write it out on a word doc, and make an account on this site so you can post it.**

 **Gamemod: Thanks!**

 **Kirby: Cool.**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Who knows? Maybe she'll be gone for longer.**


	29. Riding Along

**A/N Hey guys! We're almost there! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

 **R &R!**

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Riding Along

After that the days seemed to blur together. School resumed, while the Loud family picked back up. The days slowly grew longer as the flowers began to bloom once more.

Spring was upon them, and as such, the Louds partook in something they did yearly: clean up their home.

So, Lana carried her little bucket up to her room, taking a soft breath as she did so. _"All right, you can do this! You can do this!"_ Her heart pounded. This was something she did every year! There was nothing to worry about, right?"

Yet, as she stepped into her room… she shuddered. Her eyes brushed against the paintings she had left untouched since that day. _"I can do this, I can do this,"_ She repeated, her steps closer were slow and labored. _"Lola would want me to keep her room clean. I know that… but she wouldn't want me to clean it the way I do…"_ She stopped short of the bed. _"I have to do this. It's spring, you're supposed to clean in spring, right?"_

She hesitated and turned around. "No, I can't do this!"

"Hey Lana, need help?"

The young girl looked up, only to find Lori, standing in the doorway with a bucket and a roll of paper towels in hand.

"Huh? No… I was…" Her voice trailed off.

Slowly, the young woman approached her little sister. "Hey, it's all right, I get it," Before she turned her around. "I know it's hard, but we'll get through it together."

"Right," She let out a breath. "But… what if she doesn't like what I do?"

Lori ran her hand through her little sister's hair. "Lana, you and I both know that Lola doesn't care about how you clean it, as long as you're careful and make sure to give her a good angle when you hang it back up.

"Yeah…" She rubbed her arm. "But what if I mess up?"

The young woman chuckled, before turning the young girl around. "Don't worry, I'll make sure you don't," before she nudged her forward. In reply, the younger girl took and breath and grabbed a set of paper towels, wetting them in the bucket of water, before climbing on the bed. _"It's as soft as I remember it to be…"_

She closed her eyes, the memories of all the nights they shared together rushing forward. It wasn't uncommon for her to have bad dreams, and though she knew her twin didn't enjoy the late-night intrusions, she always gave her comfort from the darkness that shrouded her mind.

"Easy now," Lori whispered, as she pushed Lana along, placing her arm over her to direct her little sister.

Lana slowly placed the rag on the first photo. A simple one that just had her standing up straight and smiling into the camera. She carefully pushed the dust off, revealing that sparkling smile she always showed off during her pageants, before she wiped its wooden edges clean. _"Just like that."_

"Good Lana, now the next," Lori spoke in a soothing voice, urging Lana to continue despite her ever-shaking hands.

And so, she took a breath and complied. Next to the first was her favorite, with her giving off some duck lips while throwing a pose. _"Heh, not gonna lie, I always thought she looked stupid like that…"_ she couldn't help, but chuckle the thought, before taking another breath. _"Focus, you can do this! You can do this!"_

Her heart raced as she eased her hand over its dust-covered surface. _"Not too hard, just enough… and done!"_

"See? Nothing to it," The young woman nudged the younger girl. "She'd be happy that you finally got around to cleaning her half of the room," Before she turned around. "Though, I'm more surprised that your side doesn't look like it needs more cleaning than hers."

"It's nothing… I just wanted to make sure she'd be comfortable when she woke up," She hopped to her feet and reached up, taking another painting and getting to work on it.

Lori turned and stepped over, collecting what little dirt remained on her bed, before turning back to the young girl. "Still… not gonna lie, it looks like you really don't have to clean up your room at all…"

" _That's because Lola always kept her room tidy… it was me who was the messy one…"_

"How about we head out for a bit?" Lori continued. "I already finished my chores anyways."

Lana raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "Err… ok? But where though?"

In response, Lori flashed a smile. "Don't worry about it, let's go get this room tidied up and I'll surprise ya."

Lana nodded. "Ok…" Before the duo turned and got back to work.

 _ **A Few Minutes Later…**_

And soon enough, the duo were in Vanzilla riding down the same familiar roads of their home town, just as they had done countless times before.

"So… what brought this on?" The young girl tilted her head in confusion. "Not that I'm complaining, but I just… I wanna know what's up."

Lori chuckled and glanced back at her sister. "Like I said, it's a surprise. Don't worry it'll be fun," She returned her gaze to the road. "I've seen how you've been the past month or so. You've been… well improving."

Lana shrugged. "I guess," before reaching her hand back, tugging on her red ribbon, the fabric now twisted into a bow. _"After all, I wanna make sure Lola has a home to come back to. That way it'll be like she never left!"_

"Anyways, I wanted to have some fun with ya," She put on a soft smile, before she pulled the car up to a certain store. It wasn't much, but from the weird bear-fish-mouse thing in the sign, it was no doubt Fantasy Pizza Land!

She tilted her head in confusion. "Uhh… what?"

The young woman stepped out. "Come on, I've got the day off from work so I'm pretty sure that my boss isn't gonna try to get me to work," She snickered and tied her fingers. "Fingers crossed!" Before she lead the way in.

The inside was what one would expect from a place like it. With the place divided into an arcade and a dining section. Lana couldn't help, but chuckle at the random fluids that seemed to stain the ground. _"Heh… weird."_ Nearby, random children played, enjoying the seemingly random amenities set forth for them.

"Ready?" Lori nudged her little sister with a smile.

"Uhh… sure I guess…" Lana shrugged, Before her big sister took her hand and tugged, leading her through the maze of games and over to a console with two sets of joysticks and AB buttons. "A fighting game?"

"Sure," The older girl shrugged. "It could be fun after all."

For a moment, Lana paused at the idea. _"Why's Lori doing this? Aren't we supposed to be helping out around the house? I don't even think I finished fixing up Lola's half of the room…"_ Yet, when she looked up, she saw the soft, welcoming gaze of her big sister, urging her to play along. And so, she shrugged and pushed up to reach the controls.

A moment later, she picked her fighter, what appeared to be a princess in a pink dress and with blonde hair. "Huh… Princess Mango?"

"Heh, course you'd pick her," The young woman chuckled. "She's a feisty one. Always fighting off the weird turtle guy that tries to kidnap her and saving her boyfriend plumber all the time."

Lana glanced away, before shaking her head, while Lori picked her own fighter, a weird man with huge fists. "Punchie McPunchFace!"

With that, they burst forward and fought, the princess easily dodging Punchies' punches, before countering with her parasol. "Ha!" The younger girl chuckled a bit. _"It's just like how Lola used to fight when given the chance. She never did wanna ruin her perfect manicures."_

"Not bad Lans, but not enough!" Lori then jumped up and bearded down, trying to slam into the princess, yet, Mango easily defended herself, before bearing her claws and swinging, slicing at Punchies' arms, forcing him back.

THen, before Lori could respond, Lana mashed her buttons, causing Mango to pull out her parasol and aim, unleashing a beam of light that obliterated the man.

 **Mango Wins!**

"Yay!" Lana cheered. "I won! I did it!"

Lori smiled and laughed. "Haha, yeah, I didn't see that coming!" Before she ran her hand through her sister's hair. "Good job sis."

After that, the younger girl paused. Truth be told, she was happy. She thought Lori would fight harder! And yet… she couldn't help, but feel a bit… off about it. Why was she doing all of this? What was the point of dragging her out and having her play these games? She wasn't complaining, but why?

And so, she took a breath and looked up. "Hey… Lori."

"Yeah?" The young woman asked.

"What's going on?"

She raised an eyebrow in curiosity. "What are you talking about?"

Lana looked into Lori's eyes, begging her not to try and hide the truth. "Please, I wanna know what's going on."

She took a breath. "I wanted to spend time with you is all," She squatted down and pushed her chin up. "Lana, ever since the accident, you've been feeling down, and then after the pageant, you just locked yourself in your room. But lately, you've been making everyone happy. I know it's not much, but things are starting to pick up again."

The young girl shrugged. "It wasn't much," before she reached back and tugged at the ribbon once more. "I wanted Lola to have the best home to come back to," She sighed. "Yeah, I know that she's not gonna be back for a while, but… that doesn't mean I can just give up!"

"Heh, well, given our family now, I think you've done a good job," She gave her a nod, before standing up straight. "Wanna play another game?"

Lana nodded. "Sure," before Lori took her hand and led her off.

 _ **A Few Hours Later…**_

Eventually, the duo took their arcade prizes and hopped back in the family van, before driving off. They weren't bringing home much- just a stuffed bear with a pink bow on its head, but that was more than enough for Lana.

"You think Lola's gonna like it?" She asked, giving the stuffed animal a pat on the head.

"Course," Lori chuckled. "Remember, she always said she wanted to give Mr. Bear a boyfriend, but never knew where to get one for him."

"Heh, true, true."

With that, silence overtook the van as Lori drove deeper into the town, making her way towards a certain restaurant.

"Hey, Lana…" She spoke up.

"Yeah?"

"Mind telling me something?" She continued, glancing back at her as she did so. "I know you wanna make sure Lola will be happy when she gets back… but what about you?"

Lana tilted her head in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You've done a lot, I know. I can see it in their eyes. It's been a while since I've seen Luan pun like that before, or seen your friends come by on a regular basis. You've done a lot to bring their spirits up."

" _Because that's what Lola would've wanted."_

"But what about you?" She turned and pulled into a certain parking lot, before turning around and leaning on her chair.

For a moment, she tried to answer. But what could see she say? She had done everything for Lola, she had pushed herself to learn a skill she cared little for, brought everyone hope and yet… she could only answer. "I guess I'm fine now…"

Lori leaned forward and offered her hand to her sister. "Lana, I think it's your turn."

"For what?"

With that, the young woman stepped out and helped her sister onto her feet, before taking her hand. "Time to bring back a part of you that you've been putting off." Before she tugged, leading her towards a damp patch of grass. When she was younger, springtime was her favorite for one reason, and one reason alone.

Certain puddles of brown semi-liquid would form everywhere, and this year was no different.

With that, they stood before the mud puddle, its brown liquid clean and ready for someone to enjoy.

"But… I'll be dirty…" She whispered.

In response, Lori squatted down and looked into her eyes. "Lana, since when have you been the bastion of cleanliness," She cracked a smile. "I know Lola never really liked it when you tracked mud into your room, and that dress…" She held her shoulder. "But she'd never want you to give up being you."

"But… I cause so much trouble! She's in her coma because I had to mess up her dress in the first place!"

Lori shook her head. "Lola was angry when you did that, but she still loved you." She then squatted down and looked into the younger girl's eyes. "I have no doubt in my mind that she would want you to stay you, and to play in the mud like you always did."

With that, Lana gripped Lori's hand and took a breath. "But… what if she comes back? I'm gonna have to stay clean just for her!"

"Then you will," The young woman continued. "But, if you're gonna help her recover, then you're gonna need to be yourself," She stood up. "After all, how's Lola supposed to go back to normal if her own twin tries to be someone else for her sake?"

Lana thought through her words. It was true. She had done everything she could for Lola, making her family happy so that everything would be cheerful when she came back. And yet, she never truly considered what she would have to do! _"Lori's right. Lola will want the real me._ "

She took a breath and stepped forward. "Lori… can you… go with me."

The young woman nodded. "Of course Sis." Before taking her hand and entering the puddle together. Lana could feel the cold liquid overtake her feet as she sat down in it. Her heart began to race as waves of nostalgia began to overtake her. She found herself lying down in the mud, before waving her arms, getting herself covered in the substance.

Lori, couldn't help, but chuckle, before she slashed her.

"Hey!" Lana quickly rushed to her feet and splashed back, covering her big sister in mud.

"Heh, ok, you win," She laughed as she wiped herself off.

"Aww, but we just started!" Lana pouted.

"I know, I know," she stood up. "But after all, mud was always your thing," She smiled, and offered a hand. "And plus, there's one more thing I wanna show ya."

"Oh?" The younger girl went as her big sister helped her up and turned her to the restaurant. "Dad closed early?"

She nodded and pushed. "Yeah, for one reason."

And a moment later, they pushed the doors open, revealing the rest of the family crowded around, with pink and blue balloons floating everywhere, the lights bright and lit, while a cake and a few presents stood in the middle of it all.

"Surprise!" They shouted.

Lana's eyes went wide. "W-what?!"

Lori smiled. "The reason I decided to take you out today wasn't just to help you out," She ran her hands through her sister's muddy locks. "It's because we saw how happy you've become and well, we wanted to make up for your birthday."

"So we all pitched in to have another one, right here." Lincoln continued, smiling at his sister, while Lynn held up a gift. "Yeah! Come on! I know you'll love this!"

Lynn Sr. Then stepped forward and took a knee in front of his daughter. "Lana… I know it's been hard dealing with Lola being… well gone. But I want you to be happy until she returns."

Lucy then appeared at her side. "Now, let's eat cake, it's strawberry."

Lana couldn't help, but crack a smile. _"Lola's favorite,"_ She fought off tears as she nodded. "Thanks you guys. Thanks."

"Enough talkin'!" Luan shouted, before beginning to juggle. "It's time to party!"

And with that, the family went to work, having fun and making up for a party seemingly forgotten in the clouded days of the lost.

 _ **A Few Hours Later…**_

After that, they returned home. The atmosphere was lively, with the Louds rushing out of the van to return home. "Thanks you guys!" Lana made sure to shout, as she lagged behind the crowd.

"You comin'?" Lincoln looked back at his little sister. "The new maps for that trash game came out!"

Yet, she waved him off. "It's fine, Link, I'll catch up!"

He shrugged. "All right, suit yourself!" Before he went inside, along with the rest of their family.

She stood by for a moment, before smiling and letting out a breath. She looked to her left, taking in the spot where she had asked for a bath months prior, before softening her gaze. _"Lori's right, Lola would want me to be myself."_ She then stepped forward, walking along the side of he house as she made her way towards the backyard.

She soon found herself leaning back, against the tree, just as she had done countless times prior, before she looked up, towards the star-filled sky. "I know life is gonna be hard without you Lola… but just know, I'll manage. And I'll make sure that you have a life worth coming back to."

With that, she hummed a familiar tune, before reaching back and clutching the ribbon once more. _"I promise I'll never stop loving you, sis. You're my best friend. And nothing will ever change that."_

She soon found herself growing drowsy, her eyes urging her to embrace the softness of sleep. In reply, she placed her hand in a small pond of mud, allowing her to feel the soft sensation she had deprived herself off once more, before she leaned back and allowed herself to doze off.

" _I love you Lola, now all I have to do is wait for you to come back to me."_

2-5-7-9-14-14-9-14-7 1-14-4 5-14-4 12-1-14-1 1-12-23-1-25-19 19-23-9-13-19 9-14 20-8-5 13-21-4

 **A/N Man, I can't believe we're so close to the end, but here we are. Only 1 chapter remains before this story's over! I hope you guys enjoyed so far!**

 **Review Replies (C28):**

 **Boris Yeltsin: Thanks!**

 **Celrock: Thanks, I'm glad mate, and not a bad idea.**

 **DreadedCandiru2: Yeah, almost there!**

 **Kirby: Interesting, maybe a story having him cool down a bit could help**

 **SuperParkerBros: Darn, np.**

 **Tristen: Thanks!**

 **Gamemod: I'm glad mate!**


End file.
